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President Erdogan criticises US over delaying F-16 sales

June 29, 2022 at 4:23 pm

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey on 28 June 2022 [Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency]

Turkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised the United States for delaying the sales of F-16 fighter jets and for its continued support to the YPG in northern Syria, vowing that he will bring these issues to the attention of US President Joe Biden when they meet in Madrid on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, Reuters reports.

According to the report, Biden and Erdogan discussed bilateral issues and some regional matters, including F-16 jets.

Erdogan said, “Our most talk with the US is about F-16s. But the process is being delayed.”

The report says that the White House, in its statement, informed that Biden looks forward “to seeing President Erdogan at the NATO Summit in Madrid, where leaders will discuss the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for Transatlantic security and other threats to the Alliance, such as terrorism, as well as take historic decisions to strengthen the Alliance’s collective defence and security.”

With a special report, the New York Times stated that the United States signalled a new willingness to sell upgraded F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, right after Turkey dropped its opposition to the NATO membership of Sweden and Finland.

READ: NATO chief, Sweden PM address Turkiye’s opposition to NATO accession