One of the main reasons for tension and misunderstanding between the United States and Turkey is about to be resolved. In a statement released Friday, January 26, the State Department announced that it formally approved the sale of 40 F-16 fighter jets and the modernization of 76 other similar aircraft already part of the Turkish fleet.
This contract worth $23 billion had been the subject of tough negotiations for a year. The lifting of Turkish opposition to Sweden’s membership in NATO has finally helped convince the recalcitrant senators in Congress – who in principle have thirty days to express their appreciation – and the Biden administration to resolve this dispute major with an ally as important as it is unpredictable and misaligned.
According to the State Department, this contract will allow Ankara to ensure “the defense of its airspace, to contribute to NATO missions to ensure regional security and defend NATO allies, and to maintain interoperability with American and NATO forces. »
Another large delivery to Greece
The United States, in the same movement, released another large-scale delivery, worth $8.6 billion: that of 40 F-35 fighter planes to Greece, Turkey’s historic regional rival. Furthermore, Greece “acquires free of charge a very large number of equipment which decisively strengthens the three branches of the armed forces, as well as the Greek coast guard”, underlined Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister. These include frigates, two C-130 transport planes, tanks and armored vehicles.
For many months, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – imitated by the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban – has blocked the extension of NATO to Sweden. The Turkish parliament gave the green light on January 23, after long and knotty multilateral negotiations, mixing political and military considerations. Hungary remains the only member of the Alliance to block the process, with Viktor Orban seeming determined to also obtain concessions.
In May 2022, Sweden requested membership alongside Finland, in the wake of Russian aggression against Ukraine. But Turkey accused the two countries of providing aid on their soil to Kurdish militants affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a terrorist organization in its eyes. Stockholm was also suspected of Islamophobia. On April 4, Finland officially became the 31e member of NATO. It remained to open the door to Sweden.
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