Turkey has rejected US claims that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan doubted the authenticity of the decree confirming Sweden’s NATO membership and that a document with a “wet signature” was needed for review. The clarification came through the Center for Combating Disinformation, part of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications in Turkey, and was reported by RIA News. The statement underscores a broader sequence of events centered on the verification of Sweden’s accession and the role Turkey plays as a key ally within NATO.
According to the Turkish account, the United States holds the position of lead custodian for more than two hundred international agreements, among them the United Nations Charter, the IAEA Statute, and the NATO Charter. After Turkey’s parliament ratified Sweden’s accession, the president signed the law, and the official document was forwarded to the United States to be held as a depositary, consistent with standard practice in international law where the depositary country preserves treaty instruments for record and implementation purposes.
On 23 January, the Turkish Grand National Assembly approved the protocol formalizing Sweden’s membership in NATO. Following parliamentary approval, the document was signed by the Turkish president as required by law, marking a formal step in aligning with NATO’s collective defense framework. This moment placed Turkey among the last European alliances to complete ratification, with Hungary still awaiting final approval at that time.
Subsequently, on 26 January, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement warning of negative consequences regarding Sweden’s entry into NATO, highlighting the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding alliance expansion near Russia’s borders. The Turkish government’s penchant for measured confirmation and formal procedures was presented as a counterpoint to that broader regional friction, emphasizing adherence to constitutional processes and international commitments.
In the wake of these developments, official circles in Ankara expressed appreciation for Sweden’s prospective membership from the Kremlin’s vantage point. The statement reflected the nuanced diplomacy involved in balancing alliance commitments with regional security considerations and the ongoing dialogue among NATO members about collective defense, deterrence, and stability in Europe.
Ultimately, Turkey’s stance on Sweden’s NATO bid illustrates the careful choreography of alliance politics. The sequence—from parliamentary ratification to presidential signing, from depositary arrangements to cross-border reactions—highlights how allied states manage treaty instruments, verify legitimacy, and coordinate with transatlantic partners to uphold shared security objectives. The case also demonstrates how information channels like the Center for Combating Disinformation function to clarify official positions and counter misinterpretations in a rapidly evolving strategic landscape. (Source: Center for Combating Disinformation, Directorate of Communications, Presidency of the Republic of Turkey; additional context from RIA News.)