According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Turkey is likely to approve Sweden's NATO membership soon.

He made this announcement after a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan in Istanbul, who reiterated Turkey's demand to purchase F-16 fighter jets from the US in exchange for allowing Sweden into NATO.

Blinken remains optimistic, forecasting approval may arrive within a few weeks, which could see the Swedish flag flying at NATO's Brussels headquarters by mid-February.

However, upcoming local elections in Turkey could delay the process.

Another uncertainty lies with Hungary's decision, as previous delays and dissatisfaction with Swedish criticisms of Hungary's democratic and judicial deficiencies contribute to the unpredictability.