US senator’s implied threat to Ankara
As Turkey begins to get into the electoral mood, tensions with many countries regarding diplomacy are gradually increasing… After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the US.
While the NATO accession process with Sweden and Finland was suspended after an action was carried out with a model of President Erdogan and the Koran was burned recently, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen made the statement from the US.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, the US capital, Van Hollen called Turkey a “faithful ally” and said that “Turkey does not deserve to sell new F-16s or refurbish kits.”
“THERE IS NO SUCH SCENARIO”
The Democratic Party senator said: “There is no scenario where the sale of the F-16 is approved without Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership. If you do not accept the membership of Sweden and Finland, the F-16 will not be sold to Turkey. “If the Biden administration now passes an official notification to Congress about the F-16 sale, it will be a denial,” he said.
Van Hollen, the senator from Maryland, expressed a similar view in Congress. Van Hollen said: “I suppose there is even a White House consensus on that. “I consider it unlikely that President Joe Biden will allow the sale of F-16s before Sweden and Finland are approved for NATO membership,” he said. Saying that Biden could approve the sale despite congressional objection, the senator said that this possibility is unlikely.
“MUST CONSIDER SANCTIONS ON TURKEY”
Van Hollen also called on the United States and the European Union to jointly impose new sanctions on Turkey.
Van Hollen said: “If Turkey continues to block Swedish and Finnish membership in NATO, a sanction should be applied.” The American politician said that in the event of a possible operation by Turkey against the Syrian Democratic Forces, whose backbone is made up of the US-backed PKK/YPG/PYD terrorist organizations, sanctions should be applied. The White House administration claims that the SDF, which is supported by the US and includes terrorist organizations, is fighting ISIS despite Turkish objections.