Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated on Friday that the US should do everything necessary regarding the sale of F-16s in order to finalise Sweden’s accession to NATO.
If we are two NATO allies, then you should do your part, simultaneously, our parliament will make a necessary decision.
Erdoğan signed the protocol on Sweden’s NATO membership and submitted it to parliament on October 23, but parliament’s foreign affairs committee postponed consideration of the protocol on November 16.
“You say that you will take a step on the F-16 issue after it passes through Congress; I also have a parliament. It is not possible for me to take such a step before it passes through my parliament.”
Stockholm needs the approval of all current NATO members, including Turkey, to join the alliance. The country applied to join against the background of the war in Ukraine.
Turkey has insisted that Swedish authorities take concrete steps to alleviate Ankara’s security concerns, especially over supporting the PKK terrorist organisation, a Turkey-outlawed group that has claimed some 40,000 lives.
In return for its approval, Turkey is seeking to purchase the latest model of F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the United States, as well as 79 upgrade kits to modernise its remaining F-16s to Block 70 levels.
Erdoğan announced that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, along with his counterparts appointed at a joint Arab-Islamic extraordinary summit, would visit the US on Friday for Gaza Strip talks.
With this result, they can exert pressure on Israel for peace.
The Turkish leader stated that a meeting with US President Joe Biden was not scheduled, adding:
“His stance on Gaza is known to us all. If he calls us, we will discuss whatever matters need to be discussed with him directly.”
Israel resumed its military offensive against Gaza on December 1 following the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.
At least 17,177 Palestinians were killed and more than 46,000 injured in bombardments of Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack.
Official figures put the death toll from the Hamas attack in Israel at 1,200.
