The Biden administration threw its support behind the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a day after Ankara lifted a veto of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, and while US president Joe Biden was holding a meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Speaking at a briefing call on Wednesday, Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary for Defense for International Security Affairs at Pentagon, told reporters that strong Turkish defense capabilities would reinforce NATO’s defenses.
“The United States supports Turkey’s modernization of its fighter fleet because that is a contribution to NATO security and therefore American security,” she said, according to Reuters.
“These plans are in the works. And, they need to be worked through our contracting processes,” she added.
Turkey made a request in October to the United States to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
Washington had not previously openly expressed any opinion on the sale aside from saying all weapons sales would have to go through the necessary legal process.
In March, the State Department wrote a letter to some members of the US Congress who had opposed the sale, saying “appropriate” US defense trade ties with Turkey would serve US interests.
Later on Wednesday and during a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan, US President Joe Biden reportedly thanked Erdogan for his efforts to get millions of tons of grain out of Ukraine and supporting Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.
NEW: Biden to Erdogan: “You're doing a great job, I just want to thank you” for working to get grain out of Ukraine and for striking the deal to allow Finland and Sweden to join NATO pic.twitter.com/1xhLdhQZwV
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) June 29, 2022
Biden told Erdogan that;
“As soon as I land in Washington, I will work to resolve the F-16 issue”
"I will make an effort to pass it through the Congress," he said.
Per Turkish sources to @senaalkan
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) June 29, 2022
The meeting lasted nearly one hour.
Maybe Mitsotaki should veto Sweden and Finland’s inclusion into NATO and see what prize President Biden will be willing to tempt Greece with.
I like your comment. Bearing in mind that Turkish fighter planes invade Greek airspace daily, it seems that the USA is treating Greece with contempt!
This equal distancing mental sickness after acquiring Souda and Alexandroupoli was not so much that Greece was suckered than extorted for its very sovereignty in my view.
This long politically stagnant president constantly seeks compromise or to harlot principle.
Mitsotaskis looked defeated, deflated, with a deja vu attitude when speaking on front of this foolish stubborn senior before he addressed congress with standing ovations.
Biden can’t even pass laws after an attempted coup, let alone with an equally weak and meek DOJ/Garland, reluctant to criminally indict the most corrupt and dishonest president in American history.