When asked about the correlation between NATO Enlargement and the procurement of F-16. Ambassador Jeffry Flake said, “There is no linkage there. Secretary Blinken made it clear. Having said that, a number of members of Congress feel very strongly about the new accession issue. Some of them vocalised in the last few months ever since Sweden and Finland made a bid.
Flake reminded that the US Administration is supportive of this arms sale and said, "Congress is an independent legislative body. It has to approve these arms sales. The administration favours it and works on it with Congress.Ambassador Flake said that they do not have a definite date for when the Biden administration will return to Congress regarding the sale of the F-16 to Turkiye.
Invisible Ties in the Congress Between F-16 sale and Sweden's, Finland's admission to NATO
US Ambassador to Turkiye, Jeffry Flake, made statements about the sale of the F-16, the membership step of Sweden and Finland to NATO. During the previous ambassador's tenure, on the record meeting had never appeared with the press media. This was the new ambassador's first on-the-record meeting.
