Washington will move ahead with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress, national security adviser Jake Sullivan has confirmed.
The decision comes a day after Ankara gave the green light for Sweden to join Nato.
Turkey, which had been the main stumbling bloc on Sweden’s path towards the alliance, had requested in October 2021 to buy $20 billion of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters and about 80 modernisation kits for its existing planes.
Speaking ahead of a summit of Nato leaders in Lithuania, Mr Sullivan said on Tuesday that Mr Biden “had been clear that he supports the transfer.”
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Mr Menendez and other members of Congress, in recent weeks. “As the national security adviser said today, we will move forward with that sale, which we do understand needs to be approved by key members of Congress,” he told.
Tensions between Turkey and fellow Nato member Greece – which wants to buy F-35 jets from the United States – could be a stumbling block for the F-16 sale.
Blinken also spoke to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday.
Menendez said he had concerns about Turkey that extended beyond Sweden joining Nato, such as human rights and Turkish overflights of Greek airspace.
