Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register MADRID, June 29 (Reuters) – The Biden government on Wednesday backed a possible sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a day after Ankara lifted its veto on NATO membership for Finland and Sweden. Celeste Walder, the Pentagon’s assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told reporters after a call that Turkey’s strong defense capabilities would strengthen NATO’s defense. “The United States supports the modernization of its fighter fleet by Turkey because it contributes to NATO security and therefore to American security,” he said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “These plans are in the works. And, they must be implemented through procurement procedures,” he added. Turkey applied to the United States in October to buy 40 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing fighter jets. Washington had not previously openly expressed any opinion on the sale, except that all arms 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 opposed the sale, saying that “appropriate” US defense trade ties with Turkey would serve US interests. read more Wallander ‘s comments follow an 11 – hour agreement reached Tuesday between Turkey, Finland and Sweden after four hours of talks, preventing an embarrassing stalemate in a gathering of 30 NATO leaders aimed at showing determination in the face of Russia’ s intransigence. read more Speaking ahead of a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Madrid, US President Joe Biden praised Erdogan’s efforts to help reach an agreement with the Nordic countries. “I want to thank you very much for what you did,” Biden said. The three nations signed an agreement under which Ankara lifts its blockade on the accession of Finland and Sweden, while the candidates pledged not to support the Kurdish PKK and YPG militant groups or the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. which Turkey blames for failure. coup attempt 2016. U.S. officials have denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating “Similar, baseless allegations concerning Washington’s military have been made more than once. “The United States has not offered anything to Turkey and has not asked for anything from Turkey,” a senior government official said in an agreement with Finland and Sweden. The official said US officials had been involved in ongoing technical talks over Turkey’s request to buy US F-16 fighter jets. Congress would have the final say in any such sales. Erdogan, before leaving for Madrid on Tuesday, but after a telephone conversation with Biden, criticized the United States for selling the F-16s, saying they were blocking Ankara. In brief remarks ahead of his meeting with Biden, Erdogan did not raise the issue of F-16s, but expressed his pleasure to meet with Biden “after a long time.” Their meeting lasted about an hour. The two leaders last met in person in October 2021 and spoke on the phone earlier this year. The sale of US weapons to NATO ally Turkey has become controversial following the acquisition of Russian-made missile defense systems by Ankara, prompting US sanctions as well as Turkey’s withdrawal from the F-35 fighter jet program. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Humeyra Pamuk Edited by Peter Graff and Alistair Bell Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
