By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department said Wednesday that it looks forward to receiving Türkiye's ratification document on Sweden’s accession to NATO while also noting the Biden administration's clear support for the modernization of Türkiye's F-16 fleet.
Speaking at a daily press briefing, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the Turkish parliament's approval of Sweden's NATO membership is an "incredibly welcome step.”
The Turkish parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly ratified Sweden's NATO membership in a 287 to 55 vote. Hungary is now the only NATO member state that has not signed off on Sweden's entry into the alliance.
Türkiye is seeking to purchase from the US the latest model F-16 Block 70 aircraft as well as 79 modernization kits to upgrade its remaining F-16s to Block 70 level.
Although the Biden administration repeatedly said it wants to move forward with the sale of F-16 jets to Türkiye, key lawmakers on Capitol Hill have vowed to nix the deal because of several demands, including making the purchase contingent on Ankara's approval of Sweden's NATO membership bid.
Asked when the State Department will formally notify Congress on the sale of F-16s, Patel declined to offer a timeline.
"President (Joe) Biden and Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken have been very clear of our support for modernizing Türkiye's F-16 fleet, which we view as a key investment in NATO interoperability," Patel said.
Noting that Congress has a key role in reviewing arms sales, he said he is not going to get ahead of proposed defense sales or transfers until they are formally notified to Congress.
Asked by Anadolu if he believes the US Congress will no longer oppose the sale of F-16 jets to Türkiye, Patel said he is not an employee or a member of Congress.
"On the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue is a very large, white Capitol building, which I'm sure they'd be happy to speak to you about," he responded.
Noting that Türkiye is a key NATO ally, Patel said: "We believe that Türkiye also views the NATO alliance as critical."
"They have been incredible security partners in the region -- not just for the alliance, but outside of that as well," he said. "And we look forward to continuing to have a close collaborative relationship with our Turkish partners."