Julian Assange Might Finally Face Questioning Over Sexual Allegations in the UK

​In a surprise move, Swedish prosecutors ann​ounced on Friday that they are willing to fly to the UK and interrogate WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy, an offer that might be the beginning of the end for a legal stalemate that's lasted almost five years.

Sweden has wanted to question Assange over allegations of sexual crimes since August of 2010, issuing an arrest warrant to force him to answer questions---but has never formally charged him for any crime. Assange has always denied the allegations and fought extradition to Sweden first in courts, and then, when he lost his legal case in the UK, by getting asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he offered to be questioned.

Until now, Swedish authorities always refused to accept that deal, insisting on questioning Assange in Sweden. On Friday, however, Sweden said prosecutor Marianne Ny is offering to interview Assange in the embassy and take his DNA there.

"If Assange gives his consent, the prosecutor will promptly submit a request for legal assistance to the British authorities to further continue the investigation," Ny said in the statement, explaining that the decision is mainly motivated by the fact that some of the potential charges against Assange could expire..

His lawyer already said that Assange is ready to accept the offer.

"He is willing to co-operate fully now in conducting this interrogation--this is a great victory for him," Per Samuelson told the B​BC. "We've been waiting for this for over four years."

Assange, who has always said that being extradited to Sweden would heighten the risk of getting extradited to the United States, where an investigation into WikiLeaks is reportedly still ongoing, took a swipe at Sweden through WikiLeaks' official Twitter account.

After years of claiming it would be unlawful to speak to Assange in UK Sweden, facing UN censure, now says it is perfectly legal after all.

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 13, 2015

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy since June 19, 2012, where he sought asylum after the UK Supreme Court refuse​d to reopen his appeal against extradition.

Since then, Ecuador has granted him political asylum and the case in Sweden has been in a virtual deadlock. With Assange's legal team fighting the legality of the arrest warrant in Swedish courts. In November of last year, the Swedish Court of Appeals upheld the warrant. Earlier this week, however, Sweden's Supreme Court accepted to hear Assange case.