Biden administration called on Congress to approve sale of F-16s to Türkiye - Reuters
Photo: Biden administration urged Congress to approve F-16 sale to Türkiye (GettyImages)
Türkiye is close to receiving F-16s and upgrade kits from the United States following the approval of Sweden's NATO membership application, according to Reuters.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has appealed to Congress to approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits to Türkiye after Sweden's NATO membership application was approved. The deal is estimated to be worth $20 billion.
The U.S. Congress could withhold approval of the sale to Türkiye unless the country approves Sweden's NATO membership. Legislators have stated that they will wait for Sweden's application to be approved, including President Erdogan's signature, before deciding on the sale.
The U.S. State Department has also urged Ankara to officially complete Sweden's NATO accession by having Erdogan sign the law, which will then be disclosed in Türkiye's Official Gazette. The document regarding Sweden's accession must also be sent to Washington.
Problems with obtaining F-16 fighters in Turkey
The United States planned to transfer F-16 fighters to Türkiye after Sweden's NATO membership was approved.
Afterward, both Türkiye and the U.S. stated that the approval of Sweden's NATO membership was not linked to the sale of F-16 fighters. Both sides denied any assumptions that this deal was a subject of negotiations between them.
Moreover, some senators objected to sending fighters to Türkiye due to concerns that Ankara might use F-16s against NATO allies, particularly against Greece.
