US supports the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, saying it will help boost Nato’s security.
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It comes a day after Ankara lifted its opposition to NATO membership for Finland and Sweden.
Turkey made a request in October to the United States to buy 40 F-16 aircraft and nearly 80 kits to modernize its existing warplanes.
“The United States supports Turkey’s modernization of its fighter fleet because that is a contribution to NATO security and therefore American security,” Assistant Secretary for Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander said in a briefing reported by Reuters.
She said the plans for the sale were “in the works” and “need to be worked through our contracting processes”.
But US officials rejected any suggestion of a link between the sale and Turkey’s agreement to drop its objection to the two Nordic nations’ Nato membership.
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“The US did not offer anything to Turkey and was not asked for anything by Turkey” as part of its agreement with Finland and Sweden, Reuters cited a senior administration official as saying.
Congress will have the final say about the sales.
