Washington to Proceed with Transfer of F-16 Fighter Jets to Turkey, Says U.S. National Security Adviser
VILNIUS, July 11 (Reuters) – The United States will move forward with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress, according to U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. This announcement comes a day after Ankara gave the green light for Sweden to join NATO.
Turkey, which had been a major obstacle in Sweden’s path towards NATO membership, had requested to buy $20 billion worth of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes in October 2021.
Speaking ahead of a summit of NATO leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sullivan stated that U.S. President Joe Biden “had been clear that he supports the transfer” and that there were no caveats placed on it. However, no details regarding the timing of the transfer were provided.
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, a Democrat who had previously blocked the transfer, stated on Monday that he is in talks with the Biden administration about his hold and that he could make a decision “in the next week,” indicating a possible lifting of the hold.
Both Turkish officials and the Biden administration have denied any connection between Ankara’s approval of Sweden’s NATO accession and the F-16 sale. However, some diplomats and analysts believe that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had used the prospect of Swedish membership to pressure Washington on the warplanes, and that a deal was made with Biden.
Camille Grand, a defense specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, suggested that there had been a significant push by the Biden administration to allow Turkey to modernize its air force and acquire new F-16s. Grand also mentioned the efforts made by Sweden on the PKK front, which may have played a role in convincing Erdogan to move forward on Sweden.
Gerard Araud, a former French ambassador to Washington, commented on Twitter in response to Sullivan’s announcement, stating that “‘The Swedish blackmail’ paid.”
Ankara had previously opposed Sweden’s NATO accession, accusing it of not doing enough against individuals Turkey considers terrorists, particularly members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). However, a statement issued by Turkey and Sweden on Monday emphasized that Sweden would not provide support to Kurdish groups and would actively support efforts to reinvigorate Turkey’s EU accession process.
Russian officials expressed concerns about Sweden’s expected accession to NATO, stating that it would have “negative implications” for Russia’s security and that Moscow would have to respond.
The timing of both the F-16 transfer and Sweden’s NATO entry remains uncertain. Turkey’s parliament is not scheduled to convene until after the summer, and Hungary also needs to ratify the accession treaty. However, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that the ratification process was “only a technical issue.”
All NATO member states must ratify a new member. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that Erdogan had agreed to push ratification in parliament “as soon as possible,” but no specific time frame was given.
It took two weeks for Turkey’s parliament to ratify Finland’s membership, which applied alongside Sweden after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 altered the security considerations of the two Nordic nations.
Reporting by Steve Holland and Justyna Pawlak; editing by John Irish, Nick Macfie, Heather Timmons, and Devika Syamnath
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What potential factors could have influenced the U.S. decision to approve the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey despite concerns related to Turkey’s human rights record and strained relationship with NATO allies
F-16 fleet despite concerns related to Turkey’s human rights record and its increasingly strained relationship with NATO allies. The decision to proceed with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey was confirmed by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who stated that the move would be made in consultation with Congress.
The announcement came shortly after Turkey gave its approval for Sweden to join NATO, a development that had been hindered by Turkey’s previous opposition. In October 2021, Turkey had requested to purchase $20 billion worth of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
Speaking ahead of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Sullivan emphasized that President Joe Biden had voiced his support for the transfer and that there were no conditions attached to it. However, no specific details about the timing of the transfer were provided.
The potential obstacle to the F-16 transfer was the hold placed by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, who had previously expressed concerns and blocked the sale. However, Menendez recently disclosed that he is in discussions with the Biden administration and may make a decision regarding the hold in the near future, indicating a possible lifting of the opposition.
Despite denials from both Turkish officials and the Biden administration, some diplomats and analysts believe that Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership was used as leverage to secure the F-16 sale. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan may have used the prospect of Swedish accession to pressure the U.S. on the warplanes, leading to a potential deal with Biden.
The decision to proceed with the transfer reflects the Biden administration’s efforts to allow Turkey to modernize its F-16 fleet, even amid concerns over human rights issues and Turkey’s strained relationship with NATO partners. This move has raised questions about the U.S.’s commitment to promoting democratic values and addressing human rights concerns in foreign policy decisions.
