The United States has given approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, marking a $23 billion agreement. This decision comes after the Turkish parliament ratified Sweden’s NATO membership, a development that had previously hindered the congressional approval of the fighter jet sale. The US Department of State officially informed Congress about the deal, which also includes the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece at a value of $8.6 billion.

Turkey’s request for F-16 jets was initiated in October 2021, but the delay in Ankara’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid had caused setbacks in the approval process. The recent ratification by the Turkish parliament cleared the way for the congressional approval of the fighter jet sale.

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US President Joe Biden urged Congress to swiftly approve the sale of F-16s to Turkey after the Turkish parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership. However, the approval is contingent on Turkey’s commitment to improving its human rights record, cooperating on holding Russia accountable, and contributing to de-escalation efforts in the Middle East.

Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized that the decision was not made lightly. Cardin outlined concerns about Turkey’s human rights record and its role in international affairs, conveying that these concerns have been consistently communicated to the Biden administration.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees will scrutinize the arms sale, as is customary for major foreign arms deals. Congress has a 15-day window to object to the sale after receiving formal notification from the State Department, but US officials do not anticipate Congress blocking the sale despite the criticisms raised.