The prime ministers of Sweden and Finland, which have both applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have reaffirmed the importance of the two countries joining the organization at the same time.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in May last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Approving an application requires the backing of all 30 member countries.

Turkey recently hardened its stance against Sweden, after a leader of a far-right group set fire to a copy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book, in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested that he may approve only Finland's membership.

Following Erdogan's remarks, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin held a joint news conference in Stockholm on Thursday.

Kristersson said that his government has produced concrete results on all items of the memorandum signed with Turkey. He said that the government has been preparing legislation to counter terrorism at Turkey's request.

Marin said, "Finland and Sweden are part of the same security environment. The earliest possible approval of our NATO memberships is in the interests of Finland, Sweden and all of NATO."

The two countries hope to achieve membership by July, when the NATO summit meeting will be held.

But President Erdogan is expected to continue taking a hardline stance against Sweden to gain domestic support ahead of the presidential election expected to be held in May.