The raid on Senator Menendez’s home may accelerate Sweden’s NATO membership. Turkey’s Erdoğan admits F-16 fighter jets will join Sweden’s membership
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan according to the United States has linked the sale of F-16 fighters to the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.
Erdoğan commented on the matter to reporters on Tuesday.
Turkey has previously denied any connection between the fighter jets and Sweden’s NATO membership. Now, however, Turkey seems to be tying things together.
Turkey has long insisted on buying similar F-16 fighter jets from the United States, which Ukraine has also hoped for.
At the same time, however, Turkey has refused to accept Sweden as a NATO member, against Washington’s clear wishes.
– If the United States keeps its promise, our parliament will also fulfill it. The Turkish parliament will have the final say on Sweden’s NATO membership, Erdoğan said.
The senator who acted as an obstacle in the corruption scandal
The center of the triangular drama has been a US senator Bob Menendez. In practice, he has prevented the sale of fighter jets to Turkey. Menendez is the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, this may soon change, as Menendez’s political career is now at stake.
The Democratic senator’s home was raided last week, during which, among other things, huge amounts of cash and gold bars were found. He is accused of taking bribes.
For Turkey, Menendez has been a stone in the shoe. Now Erdoğan is taking joy out of the senator’s fate.
Due to the prosecution, Menendez has temporarily stepped down as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, but he has not agreed to resign as a senator.
– Menendez is now out of the picture. This is to our advantage, said Erdoğan, speaking to reporters on the plane.
The story was updated on September 26, 2023 at 16:57 with information about Menendez’s decision to step down for the time being from the position of chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.