World

Erdogan, Biden Discuss Ukraine, Sweden's NATO Bid, F-16 Procurement

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden on Sunday, in which they discussed NATO membership bids of Ukraine and Sweden as well as the deliveries of F-16 fighter jets, the Turkish presidency said.
Sputnik
"The talks focused on Ukraine's status in NATO, Sweden's membership in NATO, the supply of F-16 aircraft and Turkiye's process of full membership in the European Union (EU). The leaders agreed to meet in person in Vilnius (at the NATO summit) and discuss in detail Turkiye-US bilateral relations and regional issues," the readout said.
Erdogan told Biden that "Sweden has taken some steps in the right direction by amending anti-terrorism legislation, but the fact that supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK/PYD/YPG), banned in Turkiye, continue to freely hold demonstrations glorifying terrorism makes the steps taken futile," the presidency said.
Military
State Dept. Works Senator Menendez on F-16 Fighters Sale for Turkiye
The Turkish leader also said that "it is wrong to connect Turkiye's request on F-16 procurement with Sweden's membership" and thanked Biden for backing Ankara's push for F-16 fighter jets deliveries.
"Declaring that Turkiye is principled and honest about its EU membership, President Erdogan said that Ankara will revive the process of full EU membership and wants leading European Union countries and EU leaders to send a clear and strong message of support for Turkiye's membership at the Vilnius summit," the statement read.
Discuss