The US Congress is about to approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in exchange for Turkey's agreement to Sweden's accession to NATO.
On January 25, 2024, it was reported that the U.S. Congress would quickly approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially signed Sweden's accession to NATO. According to reports, Erdogan signed a formal agreement to Sweden's accession to NATO on the 25th, and the decision was published in the official Turkish gazette. At this point, Turkey has completed all the processes for approving Sweden's accession to NATO. Turkey will now expect the U.S. government to ensure congressional approval of the F-16 fighter jet sale. US President Joe Biden has shown unprecedented determination on the issue of selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. He made it clear that he expects congressional lawmakers to approve the relevant bill without delay, thus putting an end to the long-pending F-16 fighter procurement bill on the Ankara side. This dynamic seems to be closely linked to Turkey's decision to finally approve Sweden's accession to the NATO alliance.
The arms sales deal between the United States and Turkey has sparked controversy, but in any case, it shows the close relationship between the United States and Turkey.