Turkey's F-16s in doubt after Erdogan says no Sweden vote before October
The Biden administration's planned sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey could hinge on when the Turkish parliament chooses to ratify Sweden's accession.
WASHINGTON — What seemed like a done deal on Sweden's NATO membership faces more uncertainty.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday unexpectedly dropped his objection to the Nordic country joining NATO, a win for the trans-Atlantic bloc as it sought to present a united front against Russia during this week’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
But hopes for Sweden’s swift accession faded on Wednesday, as Erdogan said the Turkish parliament will take up ratification after lawmakers return from their summer recess in early October.
“The parliament is not in session for the next two months,” Erdogan told reporters in Vilnius on Wednesday. “But our target is to finalize this matter as swiftly as possible.”
