Trip of “F-16” Arrives in Lithuania… Anticipated Meeting between Biden and Erdogan

After months of talks, tensions, and slow progress, Turkey and the United States have led to discussions regarding a new deal for the “F-16” to be stationed in Lithuania.

The Turkish Presidential Communication Department stated on Sunday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a phone call with his American counterpart, Joe Biden, discussing Sweden’s efforts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Erdogan told Biden that “Stockholm has taken steps in the right direction for Ankara to approve its request to join the alliance,” referring to the counterterrorism law. However, these steps are not helpful as supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party continue to organize protests in Sweden.

The presidency’s statement mentioned that the two presidents also discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets and Ukraine’s status in NATO, with further discussions to take place during an anticipated meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming NATO summit in Lithuania.

The Turkish presidency clarified that “Erdogan will meet his American counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit to be hosted by Lithuania next week.”

The discussions will focus on “the situation of Ukraine in NATO, Sweden’s membership, and the delivery of F-16 fighter jets,” which Turkey hopes to acquire from the United States.

In October 2021, Turkey requested the purchase of 40 F-16 fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin, as well as approximately 80 sets of spare parts for the upgrade of its existing combat aircraft.

In January of this year, the US State Department sent an informal notification to Congress to begin the “graduated review” process, which involves informing the relevant committees overseeing arms sales in the Senate and House of Representatives about its intention to proceed with the proposed deal, marking a significant step towards final approval of the fighter jet deal to Turkey.

The Biden administration recently stated its support for the deal and has been in unofficial contact with Congress for months to secure the legislators’ approval. However, it has not yet obtained the green light.

The progress of the deal was somewhat hindered in Congress due to Turkey suspending Sweden’s path to NATO membership amid a dispute with Stockholm over the activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party on Swedish soil. Sources suggest that this crisis is on track for resolution at the upcoming NATO summit, which could potentially lead to a breakthrough in the fighter jet deal.