The U.S. Senate decisively voted against blocking the sale of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Turkey, a deal worth $23 billion.
This sale was greenlit by President Joe Biden‘s administration following Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership. Republican Senator Rand Paul‘s resolution to halt the sale was rejected by a vote of 79 to 13.
Prior to the vote, Senator Paul criticized Turkey’s government, expressing concerns that approving the sale would embolden its questionable actions. However, proponents of the sale emphasized the importance of honoring commitments to a NATO ally.
The Biden administration formally notified Congress on January 26 about its intention to proceed with the sale, following Ankara’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.
The sale had faced delays due to various issues, including Turkey’s initial reluctance to endorse Sweden’s NATO accession. Turkey had initially requested the purchase in October 2021.
Under the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, Congress has the authority to block major weapons sales by passing a resolution of disapproval in both chambers. Despite being in effect for fifty years, no such resolution has successfully passed Congress and survived a presidential veto.
The NATO membership of Sweden and Finland gained prominence after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While Finland’s membership was confirmed last year, Sweden’s application was held up, partly due to objections from Turkey and Hungary. Approval from all NATO members is required for countries seeking to join the alliance.
