Biden said the congratulated Erdogan on his victory in presidential election and expressed willingness to work out a deal regarding F-16s
In a recent call between US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the leaders discussed several key issues, including Turkey's potential purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the United States and Ankara's objection to Sweden's NATO accession.
Biden said that he congratulated Erdogan on his victory in the
presidential election and expressed willingness to work out a deal regarding
the F-16s. He also emphasized the importance of resolving the issue with
Sweden and stated that they would continue the conversation in the following
week. The Turkish presidency's statement on the call was brief, mentioning a
commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in the face of regional and
global challenges.
Turkey has been seeking to acquire $20 billion worth of F-16s
from the United States, but progress has been hindered by objections from
the U.S. Congress. Despite the Biden administration's support for the sale,
it has faced delays. Additionally, Turkey has been opposed to Sweden's bid
to join NATO, citing concerns about the presence of individuals it considers
to be terrorists in Stockholm.
While Turkey ratified Finland's
NATO accession in March, it has not yet approved Sweden's bid. Washington
aims to see Sweden's inclusion in NATO by the upcoming leaders' summit in
July.
President Biden's conversation with Erdogan marked their first
interaction since the Turkish leader's re-election. The relationship between
the two leaders has been strained, with Biden taking a different approach
from his predecessor, Donald Trump, who often praised autocratic leaders
like Erdogan. Biden's delayed congratulations to Erdogan follows his
predecessor's public support on his social media platform.
Observers
speculate that Erdogan's opposition to Sweden's NATO membership may stem
from various factors, including dissatisfaction with Sweden's handling of
Kurdish diaspora demonstrations and a desire to leverage Sweden's bid to
influence the US into selling F-16 aircraft after Turkey's removal from the
F-35 program. Erdogan's leadership in Turkey has faced criticism for
suppressing independent media, cracking down on political opposition, and
strengthening ties with authoritarian and far-right nationalist
governments.
As the situation unfolds, Biden and Erdogan plan to continue
their discussions to address the issues related to F-16s and Sweden's NATO
accession, which carry implications for both their bilateral relationship
and NATO as a whole.
