Ambassador: Sweden’s NATO ascension in July still expected by U.S.

The U.S. remains optimistic about Sweden’s potential NATO membership by July despite concerns from Turkey, according to Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake.

“We have high hopes that Sweden will join NATO in the near future,” Flake told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on Friday. He also mentioned that Sweden has taken significant steps to address Turkey’s security worries.

“By the time the Vilnius summit approaches, we fully expect and hope that Sweden will be a member of NATO,” Flake added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently rejected international pressure to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership bid ahead of the 2023 Vilnius summit on July 11-12.

Representatives from Sweden, Turkey, Finland, and NATO had gathered in Ankara in an attempt to alleviate Turkey’s objections.

“While Sweden may have its expectations, it does not automatically mean that we will comply with them,” Erdogan said, according to Turkish state-run outlet Anadolu.

Last year, Turkey, Finland, and Sweden signed an agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid, committing to addressing Turkey’s security demands.

Ankara’s objections to Sweden’s NATO membership bid are multifaceted, primarily concerning Sweden’s support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers terrorists, as well as weapons embargoes imposed by Sweden, Finland, and other EU countries due to Turkish operations against Kurdish militias in Syria.

Erdogan also expects Sweden to take action against protests targeting his government. In recent months, protests against Turkey in Stockholm escalated, leading to the controversial burning of the Quran by some demonstrators.

“In order for us to meet these expectations, Sweden must first fulfill its obligations,” Erdogan emphasized.

Prior to the recent elections in May, Turkey’s presidential spokesperson stated in March that Ankara was willing to consider Sweden’s NATO bid if Sweden demonstrated determination and a genuine desire to participate.

In a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the White House issued a statement emphasizing their shared desire to include Sweden in the Alliance as soon as possible.

Flake affirmed the importance of the U.S.-Turkey relationship and highlighted their strong security, commercial, and interpersonal ties.

“Our relationship with Turkey is firmly grounded in NATO and will continue to be so,” Flake expressed. He also mentioned the healthy balance of trade between the two countries, which reached approximately $33 billion last year and continues to grow.

Erdogan has previously criticized Flake for meeting with Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition alliance’s presidential candidate whom Erdogan defeated in the recent elections. However, Flake currently characterizes his relationship with Erdogan as positive.

“While it can be challenging at times, we have a solid relationship with Turkey in terms of security, commerce, and people-to-people connections,” Flake concluded.

– This article includes reporting by CNBC’s Natasha Turak.