Sweden

STOCKHOLM, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Already at its 30-year high, inflation keeps breaking new records in Sweden as prices of food, electricity and fuels skyrocket in recent months, due partly to the conflict in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

Data newly published by Statistics Sweden showed the country's 12-month inflation rate hit 8.5 percent in June, the highest since December 1991. This figure, above market expectations, followed increments of statistics: 6.1 percent in March, 6.4 percent in April and 7.2 percent in May.

STOCKHOLM, July 6. /TASS/: Norway agreed to passage of goods for Russian settlements in Spitsbergen through its territory, NRK TV Channel reports on Wednesday, citing a comment of the Foreign Ministry.

"The Foreign Ministry of Norway informed that containers are carried using a Norwegian truck from the Storskog border checkpoint to the Norwegian city of Tromso and then by sea to Spitsbergen. Cargo is already on board the ship sailing to the archipelago," the TV channel said.

STOCKHOLM, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Contrary to previous assertions that the accession of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would be a quick process, the military alliance's Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Monday that "there is no way to say exactly when" this will happen when visiting Sweden.

19 May 2022; MEMO: A Finnish Member of Parliament has called for a boycott of Turkish kebabs, holidays and cars, as Turkiye continues to insist that Finland and Sweden should not gain NATO membership unless they cease support for groups Ankara views as terrorists.

In a statement to the media earlier this week, Finnish MP, Mikko Karna, urged "citizens to boycott Turkish holiday trips, Turkish kebab restaurants and Turkish-made cars until Turkiye has given its approval to Finland's NATO membership".

20 May 2022; MEMO: Sweden's foreign minister today hit out at "disinformation" about Sweden and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), after Turkey accused the Nordic country of giving support to the militant group, complicating NATO's enlargement, Reuters reported.

Turkiye is threatening to block Sweden and Finland from becoming members of the alliance after they applied this week to join.

STOCKHOLM, May 17. /TASS/: The Finnish parliament approved the proposal to join NATO on Tuesday. Its session was broadcast on the legislative body’s website.

Some 188 lawmakers voted for the accession, while eight voted against Finland applying for NATO membership.

The decision should be approved by Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. Since the head of state is currently on an official visit to Sweden, it is expected that he will do so remotely. After his approval the application will be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels together with the Swedish one.

STOCKHOLM, May 16 (Reuters) - Sweden will start diplomatic discussions with Turkey to try to overcome Ankara's objections to its plan to join NATO, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said, with a formal decision to apply for membership of the 30-nation alliance expected on Monday.

Sweden's governing Social Democrats dropped their 73-year opposition to joining NATO on Sunday and are hoping for a quick accession, following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

STOCKHOLM, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's ruling Social Democratic Party (SAP) granted on Sunday support for the country's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership application, marking a fundamental change of the party's position as a staunch opponent of military alignment.

"We Social Democrats believe that the best thing for Sweden's security is that we join NATO," Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, also leader of SAP, told a press conference here after the party's extraordinary meeting.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — To join or not to join? The NATO question is coming to a head this week in Finland and Sweden where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered the long-held belief that remaining outside the military alliance was the best way to avoid trouble with their giant neighbor.

If Finland’s president and the governing Social Democrats in both countries come out in favor of accession in the next few days, NATO could soon add two members right on Russia’s doorstep.

STOCKHOLM, May 4 (Reuters) - Sweden has received assurances from the United States that it would receive support during the period a potential application to join NATO is processed by the 30 nations in the alliance, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in Washington on Wednesday.

Sweden and neighbour Finland stayed out of NATO during the Cold War, but Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine have led the countries to rethink their security policies, with NATO membership looking increasingly likely.