WSJ: US Congress Requires Turkey's Approval of Finland, Sweden Joining NATO to Sell F-16 Fighters

US officials announced that President Joe Biden's administration is awaiting congressional approval to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, subject to Ankara's approval of Sweden and Finland's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO).

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a US daily newspaper quoted officials as saying that congressional approval of the agreement is conditional on Turkey’s approval of Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

The officials indicated that the US deal also includes a separate sale of next-generation F-35 warplanes to Greece, in what “will be among the largest foreign arms sales in recent years,” as they put it.

Officials familiar with the proposals told the WSJ that the sale to Turkey had been considered by the U.S. government for more than a year and would include 40 new aircraft and repair kits for 79 of Turkey's existing F-16 fleet.