US Senate defeats effort to stop F-16 sale to Turkey

The U.S. Senate defeated an effort to stop the $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Turkey, Reuters writes.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration approved the sale of fighter jets after Turkey approved Sweden’s NATO membership bid.

The Senate voted 79 to 13 against the bill introduced by Republican Senator Rand Paul.

Before the vote, Paul criticized the Turkish government and said that allowing the sale would embolden its “misbehavior”.

Supporters of the sale claimed that it was important for Washington to keep its promise to the NATO ally.

The Biden administration formally informed Congress on Jan. 26 of its intention to proceed with the sale of 40 Lockheed Martin F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits to Turkey, a day after Ankara fully ratified Sweden’s NATO membership.

Turkey first applied to the U.S. for the F-16s purchase in October 2021.