CNN –
A judicial push by the Biden administration in the days leading up to the NATO summit capped months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy to get Turkey to press ahead with Sweden’s entry into NATO.
A key part of that diplomatic effort: making progress on the possible sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara — a demand that has been linked to the issue of Sweden’s NATO membership, despite claims by senior US officials.
The sale of US arms to Turkey is not a done deal, and its main opponent, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, told CNN on Tuesday afternoon that he remains opposed “for now.”
The New Jersey Democrat has long opposed the sale of the fighter jets to Ankara, not only because of Turkey’s obstacles to Sweden’s membership, but also because of human rights concerns and regional aggression, including tensions with Greece.
However, there is evidence that efforts to change Menendez’s position and address his concerns have had some impact.
New details, reported by CNN, show how months of steady diplomacy, aided by the close relationship between two former Senate colleagues, led to one of the Biden administration’s greatest foreign policy accomplishments.
Now all eyes are on a meeting on Wednesday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to see if the two leaders can do enough to allay US lawmakers’ concerns and the Obtain approval for F-16 sales.
Ahead of Wednesday’s key meeting, the Biden government expects that Erdogan and Mitsotakis will pledge to maintain calm in the region and potentially reach an agreement on mutual respect for airspace after a year of unprecedented Turkish incursions into Greek airspace , a U.S. state An official familiar with the effort and a regional diplomat told CNN. The hope is that such a statement could allay Menendez’s concerns.
After Finland and Sweden were invited to join NATO, efforts to secure their membership in the defense alliance began. Turkey put obstacles in the way of both countries, but eventually allowed Helsinki to move forward. However, Ankara remained opposed to Sweden, making demands related to Kurdish terrorist groups such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and arms sales.
Behind the scenes, the F-16 sale also worked as a tacit demand from Ankara, and US diplomats began extensive talks with both their counterparts and lawmakers.
These engagements included several trips to Washington, DC by the US Ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake.
Flake’s experience as a former US senator from Arizona and his personal relationship with Menendez were instrumental in trying to explain his former colleague’s position to Turkish officials. At the same time, he worked with his former colleague to figure out how the New Jersey Democrat could get a “yes” vote on the F-16 sale. A source told CNN.
Flake, along with US Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis, met with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee about possible arms sales to the two countries, a source familiar with the talks said.
Flake also visited Capitol Hill several times in the spring with Erdogan’s top national security adviser Ibrahim Kalin with the aim of introducing him to members of Congress, the source said. The US ambassador wanted to make sure Kalin understood how important Sweden’s NATO entry was to a wide range of members of Congress, the source said.
That’s also the message Turkish officials got from the bipartisan letter earlier this year, led by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator Thom Tillis, in which 28 senators said they would not support the F-16 sale to Turkey until then Ankara continues to prevent Sweden from joining NATO, the source said.
The Biden administration’s contacts with the Hill went beyond the visits of top US diplomats to Greece and Turkey.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with members of Congress, including Menendez, about what it takes to get a “yes” vote on sending F-16 planes to Turkey, a senior State Department official said.
He “has had discussions with members of Congress, including Senator Menendez, over the past few weeks on this very issue,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, government officials were also working extensively with foreign counterparts to try to push Turkey forward on Sweden’s NATO bid – a victory scored on Monday, the eve of the summit.
Erdogan agreed to submit Sweden’s ratification document to Turkey’s parliament “as soon as possible”, but there is no clear timeline for the country to become the next member of the alliance. Hungary also needs to press ahead with ratification, which is likely to happen now that Erdoğan is on board.
While the White House let NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Erdoğan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lead the important announcement, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized President Joe Biden’s role in getting them there.
“When the NATO Summit begins, our Alliance will not only be larger and stronger than ever, but also more united, focused and energetic than at any time in modern history. And that’s thanks in no small part to President Biden’s personal leadership,” Sullivan told reporters Tuesday morning.
Biden called Erodgan from Air Force One on Sunday en route to London to discuss both Stockholm’s NATO membership and the F-16 sale.
“President Biden has always made it clear that he believes it makes sense for the alliance and bilateral US-Turkey relationship to move forward with the sale,” Sullivan told reporters shortly after her call, adding am Tuesday added that Biden “intends to move forward with this transfer in consultation with Congress.”
Blinken spoke to Turkey’s foreign minister three times in the five days leading up to the summit, and Sullivan only spoke to his Turkish and Swedish counterparts on Monday.
Blinken and Biden also spoke separately to Mitsotakis in recent weeks as the administration geared up for this week, when it hoped to embark on an intense diplomatic effort.
Biden himself signaled last week that such an agreement could materialize, telling CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an exclusive interview, “Which, quite frankly, I’m trying to put together a little consortium here that we’re going to reinforce.” NATO in terms of military capacity, allow both Greece, Turkey and Sweden to intervene. But it’s in the game. It’s not finished yet.”
Menendez told CNN on Monday that he needed to see Turkey commit to “less hostility toward another NATO ally” — that is, Greece — “commit to the calm that has prevailed over the past few months to continue.” and “stops the use of US weapons against it”. another NATO ally.”
Tensions between Athens and Ankara have eased in recent months, partly due to the disastrous earthquake in Turkey, which was helped by Greece. US officials urged both sides to remain calm, the source trusted said.