Erdoğan links Turkey’s F-16 purchase to Sweden's NATO membership
President Erdoğan's remarks regarding Foreign Minister Fidan's discussions in the US have sparked widespread speculation in international diplomatic and military circles that Turkey is conditioning Sweden's NATO membership on the sale of U.S. F-16 fighter jets.
Previously, Erdoğan had claimed that the sale of U.S. fighter jets to Turkey was not related to Sweden's NATO membership and that the issue arose from Sweden's alleged support for terrorism. However, when asked if the approval of Sweden's NATO membership was on the parliamentary agenda in October, Erdoğan couldn't resist linking it to the sale of F-16s.
Biden hails Turkey's backing of Sweden's NATO admission at meeting with Erdoğan
"We have a parliamentary structure, we have a president... As America has a congress; we also have a parliament," Erdoğan stated. "According to whatever schedule our parliament sets, we will follow that."
Erdoğan then shifted the discussion to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's meetings with his counterpart, Antony Blinken: "Regarding this matter, our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also had some discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I hope that if they remain true to their word, our parliament will also stay true to the promise given. Our steps will be taken accordingly."
On the same day, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson noted that, with the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Sweden still expected to become a NATO member and expressed hope for a meeting with Erdoğan.
The "Menendez Case"
Erdoğan's statement about Sweden's NATO membership, contingent upon the sale of US F-16s, came shortly after allegations of corruption involving Senator Menendez emerged. These allegations included accusations that Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, engaged in influence peddling and accepted "hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes." The news led to his resignation as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The widely shared belief is that Senator Bob Menendez's involvement in this scandal opened the door for a shift in the U.S.' stance on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
While Senator Menendez has refused to resign, claiming his innocence, he has been an outspoken opponent of the sale of F-16s to Turkey and has also sought security guarantees for NATO member Greece from Turkey.
Although tensions have somewhat subsided in recent times, the territorial and airspace disputes between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean Sea continue to create fragility. (AEK/VK)