Turkey upset over US’ linking F-16 jets deal with Sweden NATO bid
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed on Sunday at the G20 summit his agitation over US’ connecting the F-16 fighter jet sale to Turkey with the latter’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
Erdogan said during a press conference after the G20 summit in the Indian capital New Delhi that he discussed in a private conversation the F-16s jet sale with US President, Joe Biden, on the sideline of the gathering.
In January, the US announced its intention to sell $20 billion worth F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, including 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
Erdogan said that Biden linked between the F-16s deal and the Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s application to join NATO. “This approach seriously upsets us,” he said.
Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022 prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February but were met with huge rejection from Turkey and Hungary.
Turkey later ratified Finland’s bid but rejected Sweden’s under the pretext that they support the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US.
Turkey blocked Sweden’s membership in NATO for months. It later agreed in a NATO summit in July to forward Sweden’s bid to the Turkish parliament for ratification.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said a day later the US would resume with the transaction of F-16s to Turkey after consulting with Congress.
Erdogan said, “If you say that Congress will decide, then we have a Congress in Turkey as well – it is the Turkish parliament. It is not possible for me to say ‘yes’ [to Sweden’s NATO membership bid] alone unless such a decision is approved by parliament.”
Erdogan called on Sweden to take more action regarding PKK activities in Sweden before Turkey can approve its NATO bid.