US Sen Menendez Maintains Opposition To Turkish F-16 Sale

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has told reporters that he is still opposed to the sale of F-16 fighter planes to Turkey, despite positive comments from the Biden administration this week.

• Menendez said he hasn't been contacted by the administration: "Maybe the reason they haven't reached out is because I've made it so crystal clear to the administration."
• The Biden administration has been outwardly positive about the US-Turkey relationship since Turkish President Recep Erdogan secured re-election on Sunday, seeing his political security an opportunity to repair the relationship with Ankara and confirm Sweden's accession to NATO.
• Biden said after a call on Monday: “[Erdogan] still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so let’s get that done. And so we’ll be back in touch with one another.”
• Menendez, however stated that an F-16 sale would be contingent on more broader foreign policy commitments, including dialing back tensions with Greece: “If that’s the case and we can see it through substantive commitments and various indications that would actually take place, there’s a path forward — at least for me."