NEW DELHI, September 10 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he had a “on his feet” meeting with his American counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in India, discussed the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara.
The US House of Representatives in July 2022 adopted an amendment to the defense budget, which prohibits the US administration from selling new F-16 aircraft and components for their modernization to Turkey as long as Turkey violates Greek airspace. Previously, Turkey was excluded from the F-35 fifth-generation fighter-bomber production program due to the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.
«Here (in India) a meeting took place with Mr. Biden, albeit at an informal basis, on our feet. We also discussed the F-16 issue. Of course, unfortunately, on the F-16 issue there is a connection with Sweden (with the process of Sweden's membership in NATO — ed.). This approach seriously upsets us. When they say this, I have something to answer. You connect everything with the congress, I also have my own congress. My congress is the Turkish Grand National Assembly (parliament), and I cannot say “yes” (to Swedish membership in NATO — ed.) until then «Until such a decision is made by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Sweden must fulfill its obligations,» the Turkish leader said at a press conference following the G20 summit in India.