OREANDA-NEWS The United States can help Finland and Sweden join NATO if they themselves meet Turkey halfway, suggested Mikhail Alexandrov, a leading expert at the MGIMO Center for Military-Political Studies. In a conversation with Pravda.Ru, he recalled Ankara's demands for Washington to supply F-35 fighters and lift sanctions on the purchase of Russian C-400 air defense systems.

"If the Americans make such concessions, it is quite possible that they will enter. Even without Sweden and Finland accepting Turkey's conditions, because these issues are much more important for Turkey. It is not a fact that the United States will want to do this in the current situation, when there is a confrontation with Russia. They don't want to lose face," Aleksandrov said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that it would be difficult for Sweden and Finland to become candidates for joining the Alliance if they do not respond to Turkey's demands by June 28. He stressed that in order for these countries to join the military-political bloc, the consent of all 30 allies is necessary, therefore, it is necessary to reach a compromise as soon as possible.

After the start of Russia's military special operation in Ukraine, Sweden and Finland announced their desire to join the military-political bloc. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called it a bad idea, noting that these countries have a "hospitable attitude towards terrorists", referring to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the People's Self-Defense Forces (SNS).