The U.S. administration has made clear that sanctions imposed on Turkish companies on Thursday are not aimed at blocking Sweden’s path to NATO membership. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller noted that these sanctions would not derail Sweden’s potential entry, a stance echoed by officials familiar with the discussions, and this assessment was reported by TASS.
Miller underscored the strength of the United States’ ties with the Turkish government, highlighting Ankara as an important ally of Washington. He stressed that the alliance and the bilateral relationship with Turkey remain stable even as Washington takes steps to address Russia-related concerns through targeted measures.
In addressing whether the sanctions against Turkish entities could complicate Sweden’s NATO accession, Miller indicated that there was no indication of a policy shift that would impede the process. The focus, he said, remains on advancing open dialogues and ensuring that alliance expansions proceed on their own merits, without letting individual sanctions influence membership decisions.
Washington also clarified that Ankara was not formally notified in advance about the sanction decisions. The decision was communicated through standard channels and followed by public statements outlining the rationale behind the measures and their targeted scope.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had remarked that Sweden’s accession to the alliance could be completed in the autumn, assuming all procedures and national ratifications move forward smoothly. His assessment reflects the confidence of NATO leadership in Sweden meeting the alliance’s criteria and maintaining the necessary commitments.
In statements from Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan acknowledged that the timeline for Turkey’s parliament to consider Sweden’s NATO bid remained uncertain. Erdoğan noted that the relevant accession protocols had been forwarded to the Turkish Grand National Assembly and that Parliament could decide promptly if it adheres to its promises. He stressed that Sweden must stay faithful to the commitments it has made in relation to security and defense cooperation within NATO frameworks.
Meanwhile, former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented on the broader strategic context, explaining why Ukraine’s full membership in NATO remains a complex question. Scholz pointed to political, security, and regional stability considerations that influence every step in the alliance’s enlargement discussions, including the path forward for Ukraine and the broader security architecture in Europe.