President Biden despatched a letter to 4 senior members of Congress on Wednesday urging them to shortly approve a $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, following a vote a day earlier by the Turkish Parliament to permit to Sweden to affix the North Atlantic Treaty Group. , in accordance with three US officers.
The White Home despatched the letter to high Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the Senate International Relations Committee and the Home International Affairs Committee, which oversee arms transfers from the State Division to different nations. As of Wednesday evening, the 4 senior lawmakers haven’t given their approval, and a number of of them might ask the Biden administration to offer assurances about Turkey's actions on sure overseas coverage points earlier than accepting. the switch, a congressional official mentioned.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, a NATO member, linked his nation's approval of Sweden's membership within the safety group to the sale of F-16s, which had been pending. Each Sweden and Finland had utilized to affix NATO after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and most members of the alliance shortly agreed. Turkey authorised Finland's provide, however, together with Hungary, withheld approval for Sweden.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Mr. Erdogan in Istanbul this month and pushed him to have Turkey approve Sweden's accession. Mr. Blinken tried to make sure that the F-16 sale would occur, US officers mentioned.
The State Division gave each congressional committees casual notification of the sale greater than a yr in the past, beginning the method of evaluation by lawmakers. Nonetheless, congressional officers have returned to the division repeatedly with questions on how Turkey would possibly use the jets, in addition to a few of Turkey's overseas coverage strikes that seem to run counter to U.S. pursuits. .
One subject is the truth that the Turkish army has carried out an rising variety of airstrikes on Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria who’ve been working with the US army to battle the Islamic State. Turkish leaders contemplate the Kurdish fighters to be members of a terrorist group. Members of Congress and aides stay involved about Turkey's aggression, an official mentioned.
Congressional officers additionally wish to see assurances from Turkey about when formal ratification of Sweden's membership will transfer ahead from Mr. Erdogan's workplace. And they’re asking the State Division to supply a doc that Turkey supposedly despatched to the division saying that the Turkish army intends to de-escalate any rigidity with the Greek army within the Aegean Sea, the official mentioned.
All which means Mr. Biden might not get the approval of all 4 lawmakers as he would really like, regardless of the letter he despatched on Wednesday, which was first reported by Reuters.
Congressional officers count on that when lawmakers give their consent, the State Division will transfer shortly to formally notify Congress of the sale, which suggests the arms switch will undergo.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary promised on Wednesday that his Legislature would approve Sweden's membership, however didn’t give a timetable for when a vote would possibly occur.
Katie Rogers and Catie Edmondson contributed report.
