The State Department informed Congress on Friday that it had given its approval for a $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and associated equipment to Turkey.
This decision came after the country's leader signed the necessary documents to facilitate Sweden's long-awaited entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Officials from the department and the Pentagon confirmed this development.
Despite the potential for Congress to intervene, the State Department received confirmation from four influential lawmakers that they would not oppose the sale. This decision came after their staff members thoroughly examined the documents signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, according to US officials.
Congressional officials had requested access to the documents prior to indicating their support for the sale. As a result, the State Department requested that Turkey transport the documents to New York on Friday. The department arranged for the prompt delivery of the documents from New York to Washington, ensuring that they would be available for the lawmakers by Friday evening.
The department's formal notification to Congress indicates that the sale is highly likely to happen. This satisfies Erdogan's main condition for supporting Sweden's accession to NATO and could potentially help resolve the strained relations between the United States and Turkey.
Turkey, along with Hungary, was one of two NATO members who did not give their approval for Sweden's entry into the alliance. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has been engaged in a vigorous diplomatic effort since last year, which included a recent meeting with Mr. Erdogan in Istanbul, in an attempt to sway the Turkish leader's perspective.
A US official revealed that during a visit to Turkey in February 2023, Mr. Blinken had a discussion with Mr. Erdogan regarding the issue. The official stated that Mr. Blinken made it clear on three separate occasions that Turkey would not receive the F-16s unless it approved Sweden's accession.
The protracted negotiations with Turkey have also caused a setback in the sale of F-35 jets to Greece. This delay is a result of the diplomatic discussions between Turkey and Greece, two longstanding rivals within NATO. On Friday night, the State Department officially informed Congress that it would proceed with the sale.
Sweden and Finland expressed their desire to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The majority of NATO members promptly supported their request. Finland became a member of the alliance in April, while Sweden's application remained unresolved.
While Hungary did not raise any particular concerns, Turkish officials placed blame on Sweden for providing shelter to Kurds who Turkish officials claimed were terrorists. The Turkish Parliament has voted in favor of Sweden's inclusion in NATO, with President Erdogan signing the measure into law shortly after, as per NY Times.
Sweden, Finland Membership to NATO
Turkey, a NATO ally, has been eager to enhance its F-16 fleet and had linked its support for Sweden's membership to the approval of the sale of these new planes. The sale had received support from the Biden administration, although some lawmakers had raised objections over human rights concerns.
Officials have stated that the objections raised by Senators Ben Cardin and Jim Risch, including the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have been resolved. Sweden's NATO membership approval was delayed by Turkey for over a year.
The reason behind the delay was Turkey's concern that Sweden did not adequately address its national security concerns, particularly regarding the fight against Kurdish militants and other groups that Ankara considers as security threats.
The delays had caused frustration among the US and other NATO allies, who had quickly accepted Sweden and Finland into the alliance after the Nordic states abandoned their long-standing military neutrality in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Sweden's formal accession to NATO now hinges on Hungary, as it is the only NATO ally that has yet to approve its membership. US and NATO officials have emphasized the urgency for Hungary to take prompt action, particularly in light of Turkey's recent decision, ABC News reported.
