US President Joe Biden will proceed with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress, according to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. The announcement comes ahead of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where President Biden and other leaders will gather.
Sullivan emphasized that President Biden has expressed clear support for the transfer of F-16 jets to Turkey without any conditions. The timing of the transfer was not disclosed during the statement.
“President Biden has been clear and unequivocal for months he supported the transfer F-16s to Turkey, that this is in our national interest, it’s the interest of NATO, that Turkey get that capability. He has placed no caveats or condition on that in his public and private comments over the past few months and he intends to move forward with that transferring consultation with Congress,” Sullivan said.
In a separate development, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to advance Sweden’s bid for NATO membership. This move follows months of pressure from the United States and its allies. Some NATO partners suspect that Turkey has been leveraging Swedish membership to influence the US regarding its procurement of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and modernization kits.
Sullivan also noted that NATO allies will present a unified and positive message regarding Ukraine’s aspirations for membership in the alliance. Discussions on Ukraine will be a key focus during the summit in Vilnius.
Please note that the article has been edited and proofread for clarity and conciseness.
