Biden backs F-16 sales to Turkey amid deal to expand NATO

President’s comments on a jet fighters agreement follow Erdogan’s decision to drop possible NATO veto of Sweden, Finland.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Joe Biden get down to business at the NATO summit in Madrid this week. Picture: AFP

Joe Biden has affirmed his support for the sale of a new fleet of F-16 jet fighters to Turkey, two days after the Turkish president dropped his threatened veto of Sweden and Finland’s membership in NATO.

“We should sell them the F-16 jets and modernise those jets as well. It’s not in our interest not to do that,” the US President said overnight on Thursday after the NATO summit in Madrid.

“There’s no quid pro quo with that, it’s just that we should sell. But I need congressional approval to be able to do that, and I think we can get that.”

The comments are Mr Biden’s strongest signal yet of the administration’s support for the proposed sale of new F-16s to Turkey, which officials from both countries view as a way to keep the Turkish government in the Western camp opposed to Russia amid its war in Ukraine.

Mr Biden said he communicated his position on the arms deal to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting on Wednesday, which came after Turkey agreed to allow Finland and Sweden into NATO, dropping objections that threatened to derail an expansion of the alliance intended to counter Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said he previously told Mr Erdogan of his support for the sale, a position that officials said he communicated to his Turkish counterpart in a phone call.

Mr Erdogan said Mr Biden had offered him assurances on the F-16 deal. “Mr Biden said he would take the necessary steps. As you know there are not just Democrats in the congress, there are also Republicans,” he said.

Turkey requested the new F-16s from the US last year, with both governments viewing the deal as a way to repair the battered defence relationship between the NATO allies. The US imposed sanctions on Turkey over its 2017 purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defence system.

The US also expelled Turkey from the advanced F-35 fighter program, saying that Russia might be able to use the S-400 to hack the aircraft’s electronics.

The administration is yet to send the F-16 proposal to congress, where it is expected to face resistance despite Turkey’s decision to drop its veto on Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

Earlier this year the administration asked congress to approve a separate package of Sidewinder and Amraam missiles, radar, and other equipment for Turkey’s existing F-16 fleet. That request is still facing “stiff headwinds” from legislators, a senior congressional aide said.

Legislators are preparing to attach a series of amendments to the upcoming National Defence Authorisation Act to express concerns and place conditions on the sale of the missiles in a preview of expected congressional opposition to the F-16 sale.

Mr Erdogan’s recent threats to launch a new military incursion in northern Syria have deepened legislators’ concerns about further arms sales for the Turkish military, the aide said.

A senior US official said now that Mr Erdogan has lifted his ban on NATO accession, it would make the F-16 sale to Turkey an easier sell in congress.

Mr Erdogan also received the attention and the public pledges he wanted for a collective crackdown on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is labelled a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Turkey, another senior official said. Turkey initially accused Sweden of engaging with the group. However, countries in the alliance also shared the view that any missteps could be deemed a win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and so getting Turkey onboard for Finland and Sweden’s ascension was a priority, the official added.

Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed an agreement on Tuesday in which the two Nordic countries promised not to support Kurdish militant groups and end restrictions on arms sales to Turkey, in return for Mr Erdogan’s backing for their accession to NATO. The deal, which came as a surprise to some officials, followed weeks of negotiations that culminated with a four-hour meeting among the leaders of the three countries and NATO officials in Madrid.

The Wall Street Journal