US senators want to see ultimatum against Turkey

US senators want to see ultimatum against Turkey

Published: Less than 2 hours ago

fullscreenTurkey wants to buy fighter jets of the F16 model from the United States. Archive image. Photo: Esteban Felix/AP/TT

In a letter to President Joe Biden, 29 American senators demand that a possible deal with Turkey regarding the F-16 fighter plane be put on hold until the country has ratified Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO entry.

The US has opened up to selling the fighter jets to Turkey but first such a deal must be approved by Congress.

The letter from the senators states that Congress should not consider future aid to Turkey, including an F-16 deal, until Sweden and Finland are admitted to NATO.

“Failure to ratify the protocol or provide a timetable for ratification threatens alliance unity at a crucial moment in history as Russia continues its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” the letter states.

Senators from both Democrats and Republicans have signed the letter, including former Democratic presidential hopefuls Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski.

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