Biden administration to sell F-16 jets to Turkey following Sweden’s NATO accession
The Biden administration has informed Congress of its intention to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed Sweden’s accession to NATO, ending more than a year of negotiations. The State Department sent formal notification of the proposed $23 billion sale to Congress on Friday. In addition, the State Department also sent Congress formal notification of its intention to sell $8.6 billion worth of F-35 aircraft to Greece. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been working for months with Turkish officials and U.S. lawmakers to reach an agreement that would end Erdogan’s obstruction of Sweden’s NATO candidacy and would see Turkey receive the fighter jets, one of its main requests to the United States. This move comes after a long, complex process of negotiations and discussions between the U.S., Turkey, and Greece. Once Turkey approved Finland’s accession to NATO earlier this year, intense efforts were made to ensure that Sweden’s accession was also supported, paving the way for the sale of F-16 jets to Turkey.
Erdogan’s recent signing of the instruments of ratification was the final step needed for the U.S. to send formal notifications about the F-16 sales to Congress. The U.S. official involved assured that it was about assuring Congress that Turkey had no way to back out of the deal. The U.S. administration worked extensively to address concerns and secure the support of members of Congress, as well as to negotiate terms with Greece. This landmark development signals that a significant shift has occurred in the geopolitical landscape, with Turkey and Greece holding an incredibly tense relationship. Amid these changes, efforts are also underway to secure Hungary’s approval of Sweden’s NATO candidacy for the country to finally become a member.