WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has informed Congress that it wants to discuss proposed major arms sales to Turkey and Greece, according to two U.S. officials, but it has been met with opposition. on Capitol Hill in response to Ankara’s request for new and upgraded F-16 fighter jets.
The $20 billion weapons package for Turkey will include 40 new F-16 fighter jets and 79 upgrade kits to refurbish the country’s existing fleet of aging F-16s. Greece is offering to buy at least 30 F-35 fighter jets, the most modern aircraft in the US arsenal.
Greece’s request is not controversial and is very likely to be approved. But while Turkey has been a NATO ally for more than 70 years, that package is met with skepticism from members of Congress who are exasperated with the country’s autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including his he violated civil liberties and so far he has refused to ratify NATO membership. for Sweden and Finland. Two long-neutral Nordic countries applied to join a military alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine.
After the move towards congressional approval was Wall Street Journal report on Friday, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and longtime Erdogan critic, issued a stinging statement.
While saying that he welcomes the sale of next-generation F-35s to Greece, Mr Menendez – whose position gives him the power to prevent such purchases on his committee – said he “” strongly” against the sale of “new F-16 aircraft to Turkey”.
In most cases, Congress must approve substantial U.S. arms sales to foreign allies, and refusal or inaction would kill President Biden’s proposal.
“President Erdogan continues to undermine international law, disregards human rights and democratic norms, and engages in alarming and destabilizing behavior in Turkey and against neighboring NATO allies. “Until Erdogan stops his threats, improves his human rights record at home – including the release of journalists and political opposition – and starts acting as a trusted ally, I will not approve this deal.”
Speaking to Turkish media in October, Erdogan dismissed Menendez’s earlier criticisms, told reporters that “Menendez’s objections alone cannot prevent” such a deal, although it is unclear what he meant. A few weeks later, Mr. Erdogan admits that buying a jet would be “much easier” if Republicans won a Senate majority in the US midterm elections, which has not happened.
The Biden administration has not formally asked Congress to approve the purchase. But recently, they have taken the procedural step of notifying Parliament that they are ready to discuss the demands, which were put forward by Ankara and Athens a few months ago and require parliamentary approval. .
A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement was not final, said Friday that the department does not confirm or comment on the proposed arms sale or transfer. until the government formally asks Congress for approval.
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Turkey and Greece are in a bitter dispute over their maritime borders, and Erdogan has hinted at the possibility of military action against the NATO member, although few expect him to follow through. count as such. By linking the two arms packages, the Biden administration appears to be signaling that it is not favoring Turkey over Greece.
At the NATO summit in Madrid last summer, Biden told reporters he supported the sale of F-16s to Erdogan’s government. “We should sell,” Biden said. “I need congressional approval to be able to do that, and I think we can get there.”
He added that such a sale would not be “reciprocal” to Turkey’s approval of Sweden and Finland’s membership of NATO, which is required under the alliance’s policy of make decisions by consensus.
But many Turkey experts say Mr. Erdogan will not endorse NATO expansion, what Mr. Biden called a major strategic failure for Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, unless he is confident he has it in his hands. New and upgraded planes. Mr. Erdogan faces an election this spring amid the country’s economic woes.
Turkey says Sweden and Finland have sympathized with the PKK, a Kurdish nationalist movement that Turkey, the United States and the European Union consider a terrorist organization.
Among other requests, Turkish officials have insisted that Sweden extradite some PKK members and others requested by the Swedish government. say it won’t turn over. It is not clear how such differences can be resolved. But US and NATO officials have repeatedly said that they are confident that Turkey will eventually approve the alliance expansion.
Hungary is the only NATO member not to accept new candidates, but its leaders have said they will do so earlier this year.
NATO expansion is hardly the only obstacle Turkey’s claim faces in Congress. Mr. Menendez and others have harshly criticized Mr. Erdogan’s authoritarian style of rule, which in recent years has included a harsh crackdown on media outlets, opposition parties and sources. other dissent.
They have also denounced Erdogan’s relatively friendly relationship with Putin. The Turkish leader ignored US warnings about buying Russia’s advanced S-400 missile defense system and did not join international sanctions against Moscow. At the same time, U.S. officials call Turkey a key ally in a strategic location, and Erdogan played a key role in brokering a deal between Ukraine and Russia that would allow military exports. cup of Ukraine to the outside world.
Biden officials have also sternly warned Turkey not to continue threatening attacks into northern Syria against Kurdish groups there, saying it could jeopardize containment efforts. Islamic State.
Eric Schmitt contribution report.
