ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Joe Biden held a phone call with Turkey’s newly re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday evening, discussing Ankara’s will to purchase F-16 fighters jets from Washington, as well as Sweden’s pending NATO bid.
Biden congratulated Erdogan after winning another term as Turkey’s president, extending his grip on power in the country for a third decade. The two shared their commitment to their bilateral relations as well as “their readiness as NATO Allies to address regional and global challenges,” according to the White House.
Relations between the US and Turkey have deteriorated in recent years, largely in relation to disagreements over Middle East issues, as well as Ankara’s ties to Moscow. The US has also voiced concerns over human rights issues inside Turkey, prompting vocal remarks by Erdogan against the country.
"I spoke to Erdogan. I congratulated Erdogan. He still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so let's get that done. And so we'll be back in touch with one another," Biden told reporters on Monday, as cited by Reuters.
Turkey was expelled from a program in 2019 to replace NATO allies’ aircrafts with more advanced systems after it acquired the S-400 air and missile defense systems from Russia. The US has also slammed sanctions on Turkey over the purchase.
Erdogan has continued to pursue the purchase of the F-16 fighter jets from the US and has threatened to turn closer to Russia if Washington continues blocking the sale. The acquisition has been stalled by objections from the US Congress over Turkey’s human rights record, its refusal to approval NATO enlargement, and its involvement in Syria.
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Turkey has raised objections, accusing Sweden of supporting groups it labels as terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). In early April, Finland became a member of the defense alliance but Ankara continues to object Stockholm’s ascension.
Unanimous approval by all member states is required for a new country to join NATO.
Biden has stated that he would not accept a quid pro quo by providing the fighter jets in exchange for Ankara ratifying Sweden’s NATO membership.
Sweden’s NATO membership is expected to be a top priority before the alliance is set to meet at a summit in Lithuania in July.
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