WASHINGTON (MEMO) – The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has stated in congressional correspondence that the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey would serve U.S. interests and bolster NATO unity, according to a report.
The letter, obtained by Reuters, comes after Turkey requested in October that Washington sell it 40 F-16s and 80 kits to modernize its existing fleet. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in late March that negotiations with the U.S. were progressing positively.
The U.S. under former President Donald Trump sanctioned Turkey in 2020 after Ankara purchased the advanced Russian S-400 air defense system and removed Turkey the prior year from the F-35 joint strike fighter program.
The U.S. maintains the S-400 could be used by Russia to covertly obtain data on the F-35 and is inoperable with NATO systems. Ankara has maintained, however, that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and said it poses no risks to the F-35.
Naz Durakoglu, the State Department’s top official for legislative affairs, acknowledged in a letter to Congressman Frank Pallone the ongoing tensions over additional arms sales to Turkey but maintained the sanctions and F-35 removal represent “a significant price paid” for the S-400 acquisition.
“The Administration believes that there are nonetheless compelling long-term NATO alliance unity and capability interests, as well as U.S. national security, economic and commercial interests that are supported by appropriate U.S. defense trade ties with Turkey,” Durakoglu wrote to Pallone, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“The proposed sale will require a Congressional notification if the Department of State were to approve it. We affirm our commitment to established defense trade authorization procedures, including Congressional oversight,” she added, according to a copy of the letter circulated on social media.
The State Department did not confirm the letter’s authenticity when asked by Anadolu Agency, but a senior State Department official said the U.S. “strongly values its partnership with its NATO Ally Turkey.”