Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that a favourable decision on the US sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara and an arms embargo on Canada could speed up the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership bid, Reuters reports.
Sweden and Finland asked to join NATO last year after the war in Ukraine began. NATO member Turkey has raised objections to what it sees as both countries protecting groups Ankara considers terrorists.
Turkey approved Finland’s application to join NATO in April but, along with Hungary, made Sweden wait.
Erdogan told reporters on a flight returning from Hungary, according to a text shared by his office:
Positive developments we expect both on (procuring US) F-16s and Canada’s promises (on lifting its arms embargo) would help our parliament to have a positive approach on Sweden… All of them are linked.
In October 2021, Turkey asked to buy 40 F-16 fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and 79 upgrade kits for its existing warplanes.
US President Joe Biden’s administration supports the $20 billion sale, but objections have arisen in the US Congress over Turkey’s delaying Sweden’s entry into NATO and its respect for human rights.
Canada agreed to resume talks with its NATO ally Turkey to lift export controls on drone parts, including optical equipment, after Erdogan signalled in July that Sweden would get the green light from Ankara. Erdogan said he discussed Sweden’s NATO membership with US President Joe Biden last week. He noted:
In the call, Mr. Biden said: You pass this (Sweden’s NATO bid) from the parliament and I will get it (F-16 sale) passed from the Congress.
