Biden Selling Turkey F-16s After Sweden’s NATO Membership

The Biden Administration told Congress, it intends to Sell F-16 Fighter Jets to Turkey, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Signed-Off on Sweden’s Accession to NATO on Thursday.

The State Department sent the Formal Notification about the proposed $23 billion Sale to Congress on Friday, after Turkey’s Instruments-of-Ratification were formally deposited at the Department. The State Department also sent Congress a Formal Notification of its intent to sell $8.6 billion worth of F-35s to Greece. Congress is expected to Approve both Sales.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was extensively engaged for months with Turkish Officials and U.S. Lawmakers to reach the Deal, to stop Erdogan’s Obstruction of Sweden’s NATO bid that would see Turkey receive the Fighter Jets, One of its Top requests of the U.S.

Once Turkey Approved Finland’s Accession in March 2023, Blinken worked intensely behind the scenes, to try to get Sweden’s Approval done by last summer’s NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where my Father's Mother was born.

During a trip to Turkey in February 2023, Blinken met with Erdogan, who stressed the need for the U.S. to sell Turkey the F-16s before He would approve Sweden’s Membership into the Alliance. Blinken, in turn, told the Turkish President multiple times that Members of Congress would Not Approve the Sale of Jets until Turkey allowed Sweden to join NATO.

It was at this point, the U.S. Official said, that the Administration decided to leverage the Jets more directly. The process moved forward more quickly with the Appointment of Hakan Fidan as Turkey’s Foreign Minister. Fidan was seen as having a Closer Relationship to Erdogan than His Predecessor. Blinken and Fidan met on the margins of a Conference in London, in late June 2023, to hash out Details of a potential Deal.

The Turkish Parliament finally Voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO Accession last Tuesday, and Erdogan Signed-Off on the Instruments of Ratification Thursday.

The Documents were then sent from Turkey to the U.S. to be physically deposited in a Vault at the State Department, which serves as the Treaty Depositary for NATO, on Friday.

This was the Final Step needed, before the Agency sent the Formal Notifications about the F-16 Sales to Congress. The U.S. Official said this was to assure Congress there was No way for Turkey to Back Out of the Deal.

Hungary still must Approve Sweden’s NATO Bid, for the Nation to finally become a Member.









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