Tension is high in relations between Turkey and the United States: here is the Biden formula

As uncertainty continues over the F-16 fighter jets and retrofit kits that Turkey wants to buy from the US, feverish work continues at the White House.

While the Greek media wrote that Turkey, which stands in the way of Sweden’s NATO membership, used this trump card to buy US fighter jets, it emphasized that US officials took steps to untie this knot.

US President Joe Biden is claimed to be trying to find a formula to get the US Congress to approve the sale of F-16s to Turkey so that Sweden can become a member before the Summit of NATO in July. The news also recalled that the White House handled this process, which should normally be done by the US State Department.

“THIS SITUATION MAKES THE PROCESS DIFFICULT”

It was also revealed that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke on the phone with members of Congress, taking the pulse for the approval of fighter jets and modernization kits. But while the Greek media wrote that Sweden was not the only criteria in the sale of the F-16, “This makes the situation even more difficult for the White House. Because he cannot guarantee to Congress that Turkey’s position on many issues will change, and he also needs to explain to Turkey that approval of Sweden’s NATO membership will not automatically provide fighter jets.

This issue was also claimed to be on the agenda during the phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterpart Hakan Fidan earlier in the week. News in Kathimerini, one of the most widely read newspapers in Greece, said: “Blinken told Fidan that removing barriers to Swedish membership would have an impact on Congress to understand the situation.”

TURKISH LOBBY TAKES ACTION

On the other hand, it was also claimed that the Turkish lobby took action in Washington and held meetings with members of Congress behind closed doors. While it was claimed that Turkey took action following the moves of the Greek lobby, it was also stressed that the statements against Turkey by Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, known as one of the “strong names” in Congress, accelerated this process.

Schumer said: “Turkey is a danger to global stability and we must do everything we can to oppose aggression in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.”