Blinken in Istanbul: F-16 sales and Sweden’s NATO accession in spotlight

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Jan. 6 in Istanbul as a part of his week-long diplomatic tour amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The high-level meeting attended by Fidan, National Intelligence Organisation (MİT) Chief İbrahim Kalın, and U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake, centered around the conflict in Gaza, the US State Department stated on Jan. 6.

The US State Department spokesperson stated that Blinken and Erdoğan also “discussed European security priorities, including the defence of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, completing Sweden’s accession to NATO, and strengthening trade and investment between the United States and Türkiye.”

Blinken in İstanbul

Following his talks in Turkey, Blinken is set to visit Greece, meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.

The Secretary of State’s Middle East tour will extend to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Egypt.

This marks Blinken’s third visit to Turkey, with the first one following earthquakes in Türkiye in February and the second postdating the Israel-Hamas conflict in November.

The timing of Blinken’s visit is noteworthy against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East, the explosion in Iran, an assassination in Lebanon, and ongoing attacks by Iran-backed Huti’s in the Red Sea.

F-16 sale and Sweden’s NATO accession on the table

Alongside with the Gaza conflict, the central theme of discussion was Sweden’s NATO membership process and Ankara’s request for Congressional approval for the purchase of 40 F-16s, along with a modernization package.

Turkey’s veto on Sweden’s NATO membership has become a pivotal agenda item in its relations with the U.S., particularly concerning the F-16 purchase.

President Erdoğan, in December, revealed that U.S. President Joe Biden said to him in a phone call: “pass Sweden’s NATO membership through the Parliament, and I will get the F-16s through Congress,” explicitly linking the two subjects as interdependent.

Ankara anticipates the U.S. Congress to greenlight F-16 sales to Turkey, while Washington urges Ankara to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership protocol in parliament.

Turkish diplomatic sources stated that in the meeting with Blinken, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conveyed Ankara’s “desire for the F-16 procurement process to conclude” and underscored that “the Turkish Parliament holds the authority to decide on Sweden’s NATO membership.”

Gaza, Ukraine, Armenia

Erdoğan signed the protocol and forwarded it to parliament after endorsing Sweden’s membership bid in July. The Parliamentary Committee initially deferred deliberations, eventually granting approval, and submitted it to the General Assembly for voting in December.

The Turkish Parliament resumes a new legislative term on January 16, while the United States Congress reconvenes on January 9.

Turkish diplomatic sources disclosed that as discussions touched upon regional issues, including the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza, Fidan highlighted Israel’s increasing aggression as a regional threat, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.

Fidan also emphasised Turkey’s efforts to ensure the safe distribution of food products from Russia and Ukraine to global markets, addressing tensions in the Black Sea.

The meeting covered regional topics, such as discussions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the situations in Syria and Iraq.