On Wednesday, President Joe Biden commended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for dropping his opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO as well as for his efforts to get grain out of the Ukraine.
Biden told him, “You’re doing a wonderful job.”
Additionally, the Biden administration hinted that it supported the sale of F-16 fighter fighters to Ankara, which has been a longtime goal of the Turkish government.
Strong Turkish defense capabilities would strengthen NATO’s defenses, according to Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs at the Pentagon, who also said that the F-16 sales plan was making its way through the legal system.
‘The United States supports Turkey’s modernization of its fighter fleet because that is a contribution to NATO security and therefore American security,’ she said.
‘These plans are in the works. And, they need to be worked through our contracting processes,’ she added.
Turkey made a request in October to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes.
Biden met with Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday.
He thanked him for agreeing Finland and Sweden joining the alliance but made no mention of the F-16s. Ahead of the summit, Erdogan said he would push the issue with the president.
‘I want to particularly thank you for what you did, putting together the situation with Finland and Sweden and all the incredible work you’re doing to try to get the grain out of Ukraine,’ Biden told him. ‘You’re doing a great job.’
Ankara has promised to look into claims that grain stolen from Ukraine by Russia was being sold to Turkish purchasers. Nearly a third of the world’s wheat supply comes from Russia and Ukraine, but Russia has been preventing Ukraine from transporting the grain out of its ports, causing a worldwide food catastrophe.
In the coming weeks, Turkey also intends to invite representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the UN for negotiations aimed at restarting the shipment of the grain that is now stranded in Black Sea ports.
In the meantime, American officials rebuffed any claims that Washington was supporting the F-16 request after Turkey withdrew its threat to use its veto power to block Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO.
‘The U.S. did not offer anything to Turkey and was not asked for anything by Turkey’ as part of its agreement with Finland and Sweden, a senior administration official said.
The official said U.S. officials were engaged in ongoing technical talks about Turkey´s request to buy U.S. F-16 fighter jets. Congress will have the final say about any sales.
NATO on Wednesday formally invited Sweden and Finland to join its alliance.
‘The accession of Finland and Sweden will make them safer, NATO stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure. The security of Finland and Sweden is of direct importance to the Alliance, including during the accession process,’ the statement from NATO said.
The two Nordic nations’ inclusion will be the largest enlargement of the alliance since the 1990s when the post-Soviet bloc nations were admitted; nevertheless, the admission must be authorized by each of NATO’s 30 ally parliaments.
It occurs as a more assertive Russia casts a shadow over Europe. The eastern edge of the alliance is being reinforced by armed troops led by President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, Biden claimed that European integration into NATO is exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin did not want.
Biden lauded the diplomatic achievement that led to Turkey withdrawing its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance and said that it will make Europe stronger.
‘Putin was looking for the Finland-ization of Europe and we’re gonna get the NATO-zation of Europe,’ Biden said when he met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg upon his arrival at NATO headquarters on Wednesday morning.
‘And that’s exactly what he didn’t want to do – it’s exactly what needs to be done to guarantee security for Europe. And I think it’s necessary and I’m looking forward to it happening,’ the president said.
Moscow reacted with fury to the news, saying NATO expansion will be ‘destabilising’ for Europe.
‘We consider the expansion of the North Atlantic alliance to be a purely destabilising factor in international affairs. It does not add security either to those who are expanding it, those joining it, or to other countries that perceive the alliance as a threat,’ Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
On Tuesday evening, after multiple rounds of talks, Turkey lifted its objections to the two Nordic states joining the alliance.
‘I am pleased to announce we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO,’ Stoltenberg said that evening when he announced the deal.
‘Turkey, Finland and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey’s concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism,’ he added.
The three nations agreed to protect each other’s security as Europe faces its worst security crisis in decades in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following the signing of a memorandum in which Turkey agrees to Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, third from the left, shakes hands with Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, right, next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, and Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto, second from the right.
Turkey objected, requesting that Sweden and Finland end their backing of Kurdish terrorist organizations operating on their soil and ease their restrictions on some arms shipments to Turkey.
Under the terms of the deal, Stockholm will intensifying work on Turkish extradition requests of suspected militants and both Finland and Sweden will work on amending their laws to toughen their approach to them.
Stoltenberg said both Nordic nations would lift their restrictions on selling weapons to Turkey.
Both Finland, which has a 810 mile border with Russia, and Sweden are now set to bring well-trained militaries into the alliance.
Under NATO treaties, an attack on any member would be considered an attack against all and trigger a military response by the entire alliance.
President Biden spoke with Erdogan on Tuesday morning before the deal was signed.
A senior administration official said that call was for the ‘president to be able to talk directly with President Erdogan about the membership application to Finland and Sweden and to encourage him to seize this moment and get this done.’
The official said Biden made the call at the request of Sweden and Finland.
The official spoke to reporters on Tuesday night to describe President Biden’s role in the process and asked for anonymity to speak frankly.
The official said President Biden didn’t want to get in the ‘middle’ of talks but wanted to put the weight on the scale at the end to get it done.
‘We have been very studious, and rejecting the idea that the United States was wanting to play broker. We did not think that would be productive,’ the official said.
The Biden administration sees the deal as a win.
‘This obviously, is just a powerful shot in the arm from the point of view of allied unity and also, you know, a historic moment for the Alliance to traditionally neutral countries, choosing to sign up to NATO and being welcomed by NATO,’ the senior administration official said.
Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to apply to join NATO.
It’s the biggest expansion of the alliance since former Soviet bloc countries joined the group in 1999.