Turkey sets conditions for Sweden’s NATO bid
(VOVWORLD) - The US sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey and Canada's lifting of an arms embargo could get the Turkish parliament to ratify Sweden's NATO membership bid, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AFP/ VNA) |
Turkey asked in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters and 79 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
US President Joe Biden’s administration backs the 20-billion-dollar sale, but there have been objections in the US Congress because of Turkey delaying Sweden’s entry into NATO and because of Turkey’s human rights record.
Canada quietly agreed to re-open talks with Turkey on lifting export controls on drone parts, including optical equipment, after Erdogan signaled in July that Sweden would get a green light from Ankara.