President Biden Appreciates Turkish Leader Erdogan Regarding Sweden's NATO Accession, Is There a Role in Buying F-16 Jets?

President Erdogan and President Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit Vilnius, Lithuania. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his courage in giving the go-ahead for Sweden's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accession, after a tough year-long process.

"I want to thank you for your diplomacy and courage to do so," President Biden said, according to a meeting script published by the White House, launching The National News July 12.

After the conversation, President Biden wrote on Twitter: "What a pleasure to sit down with President Erdogan, again today in Lithuania for a Nato summit made even more historic by Turkey's approval of Sweden's recognition."

As previously reported, Turkey gave the green light for Sweden's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), after the leaders of the two countries met in the presence of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Stoltenberg in his press statement after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said the agreement was a historic moment for the long-awaited and welcomed alliance.

Uncle Sam's country played a key role in the negotiations. It is known that Ankara has expressed its desire to buy F-16 fighter jets from Washington some time ago. This purchase "in exchange" for Turkey's exclusion from the United States' F-35 stealth fighter jet program.

His request was backed by President Biden but faced opposition from Congress, which was angered by Turkey's decision to buy Russia's S-400 missile defense system in 2017. The purchase itself previously excluded Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.

"We will work with Congress as appropriate to get them (F-16s) to Turkey," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday morning, although declining to give a deadline.

It is known that Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutral policies and applied for NATO membership last year, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Their accession must be approved by all NATO members.

Finland had first received approval in April, although it had to "wait longer" for approval from Turkey and Hungary. Meanwhile, Sweden still has to be patient longer.

It was great sitting down with President Erdoğan once again today in Lithuania for a NATO Summit made even more historic by Türkiye’s agreement on the admission of Sweden. pic.twitter.com/MAo1GKQoXQ

— President Biden (@POTUS) July 11, 2023