Turkey is expected to make a decision on the approval of Sweden’s application to join NATO within a month, before the July summit of the alliance. It is reported by TASS with reference to a source in Ankara.
“Actually, Turkey’s main demand has been fulfilled: amendments to anti-terrorist legislation have come into force in Sweden. So, in general, before the start of the NATO summit on July 11, it is worth waiting for Ankara’s decision. It will be hard to resist now. In addition, it is expected that the issue of selling F-16 aircraft to Turkey will be resolved, and this, although behind the scenes, is still part of the topic related to the entry of Sweden, ”said the agency’s interlocutor.
In his opinion, Turkey can still drag out a little time under the pretext of actually fulfilling its demands on Sweden, that is, extradition of persons whom Ankara recognized as terrorists. But this may not be taken very constructively. “As for the F-16, Turkey is still counting on a positive US decision to sell these aircraft. After some time, the issue should be resolved,” the source said. However, he does not expect potential objections to Ankara’s receipt of F-16s from some of its non-NATO partners.
Earlier, Turkey requested from the United States 40 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and 80 Block 70 upgrade kits for aircraft in service with its Air Force. The desire to acquire the F-16 in Ankara was announced after its exclusion from the program for the production of fifth-generation F-35 fighters in connection with the acquisition of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia. The US Congress has not yet approved the deal, which provides for the supply of these aircraft to Turkey. In March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara could not ratify Sweden’s NATO membership because Stockholm refused to extradite 120 suspected terrorists by Turkish authorities.
On May 30, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that US President Joe Biden does not set the condition for the supply of American F-16 fighters to Turkey on Ankara’s ratification of the protocols on Sweden’s accession to NATO. However, on the same day, the Hürriyet newspaper revealed the details of a recent telephone conversation between Biden and Erdogan. In it, the American leader allegedly admitted that the US Congress still sets the condition for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara for Sweden to join the alliance.
Source: Rosbalt
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