The US State Department is negotiating with Senator Robert Menendez and is trying to convince him not to interfere with the supply of American F-16 fighters to Turkey. In the event that the equipment is offered in exchange for Sweden’s admission to NATO, Punchbowl News writes, citing sources.
Representatives of the US administration expressed their readiness to sell aircraft for $20 billion. The American side makes it clear that the Congress and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which is headed by Menendez, may have their own opinion on this issue.
“Senior officials in the Biden administration want to be sure that Menendez, with his arms-trafficking powers, will not get in the way if they want to make a deal with Turkey,” the article says.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, on May 18, 2022, Sweden and Finland presented NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with applications for countries to join the alliance. On April 4, Finland officially became a member of NATO. The process of Sweden’s entry into the alliance was suspended.
On July 3, Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmus called it a pipe dream for Sweden to join NATO. The politician also recalled that there is a triple agreement between Turkey, Sweden and Finland.
