WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2023) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested that the United States should block Turkey from buying F-16 jets until Ankara agrees to Sweden's accession to NATO.
"I'm one of those who are not in favor of the F-16 sale to Turkey until the admission of Sweden gets behind us," McConnell told Punchbowl news.
Washington had anticipated that Sweden's accession would be approved at the NATO summit in Vilnius next week, he added.
McConnell called for increasing congressional pressure on Turkey. He also stated that without the NATO expansion, the "Russian threat" would be "more ominous."
In addition, McConnell supported an idea to block arms sales to Hungary because it also blocks Sweden's accession.
Finland and Sweden submitted applications to join the alliance in May 2022, soon after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine. On April 4, Finland became NATO's 31st member. Sweden's application is still pending approval by Hungary and Turkey.
Turkey is delaying Swedish membership in NATO in protest of Stockholm harboring members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which Ankara deem a terrorist organization. Quran-burning protests in Stockholm have further clouded Sweden's prospects of gaining Turkey's approval to join NATO any time soon.
