“Washington is using the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets as bait to force Ankara to ratify Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership applications, Bloomberg writes.
Sweden and Finland submitted their applications for membership in May 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.So far, **28 of NATO’s 30 members have ratified the Nordic bids, while Turkey and Hungary have opposed.**
The U.S. has backed the Nordic countries with its authority. Washington is also using the potential sale of $20 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets as bait to get Ankara to comply.
**The U.S. has warned Turkey that** **the Congress may not approve the plane sale if Ankara does not ratify Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO bids**, a senior Turkish official said on condition of anonymity.
Fears are that Erdogan will hold Finland and Sweden’s membership hostage on the NATO entry bid as long as he thinks it will benefit him before the elections.”
Not gonna happen. Erdogan is using his “upper hand” against Sweden to get some more undecided votes and… it’s working.
If Erdogan wants to use threats & blackmail as his main negotiation tactics, its only natural he gets the same treatment back. Coercive diplomacy works well with Russia (Turkey “convincing” Russia to uphold the Black Sea Grain Deal), not so much with everyone else.
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More like, Turkey forces the USA to provide F-16.
“Washington is using the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets as bait to force Ankara to ratify Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership applications, Bloomberg writes.
Sweden and Finland submitted their applications for membership in May 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.So far, **28 of NATO’s 30 members have ratified the Nordic bids, while Turkey and Hungary have opposed.**
The U.S. has backed the Nordic countries with its authority. Washington is also using the potential sale of $20 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets as bait to get Ankara to comply.
**The U.S. has warned Turkey that** **the Congress may not approve the plane sale if Ankara does not ratify Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO bids**, a senior Turkish official said on condition of anonymity.
Fears are that Erdogan will hold Finland and Sweden’s membership hostage on the NATO entry bid as long as he thinks it will benefit him before the elections.”
Not gonna happen. Erdogan is using his “upper hand” against Sweden to get some more undecided votes and… it’s working.
If Erdogan wants to use threats & blackmail as his main negotiation tactics, its only natural he gets the same treatment back. Coercive diplomacy works well with Russia (Turkey “convincing” Russia to uphold the Black Sea Grain Deal), not so much with everyone else.