Greek PM hails US approval of F-35 sale
Similar deal with Turkey on F-16s said to be conditional on non-use against NATO members
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed on Saturday the US State Department’s decision to approve the sale of up to 40 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece.
Mitsotakis described the approval as “an important day for our national defense and for Greek diplomacy.” He also received a letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in relation to the decision.
After the US Congress gives its expected approval, the negotiation will begin for the acquisition of up to 40 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and related equipment, which is estimated to cost $8.6 billion.
At the same time, the Department of State signaled to the US Congress its approval of the sale of 40 F-16 fighters to Turkey, along with upgrade kits for 79 F-16 planes Turkey has operated for years. The sale is worth an estimated $23 billion. The Associated Press reported that the US government’s approval of the F-16 deal, late Friday, “came just hours after Turkey deposited its ‘instrument of ratification’ for Sweden’s accession to NATO with Washington, which is the repository for Alliance documents and after several key members of Congress lifted their objections.”
The US administration always viewed the two sales as a package deal. But difficulties in its relations with Turkey, which extended beyond its objections to Sweden’s joining NATO had led to objections from several Congress members. Opponents included the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senators Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho). Cardin’s predecessor, Senator Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), was an even more vocal opponent of the sale, also pointing out that NATO used its fighters in intrusions on Greek airspace. And Turkey’s acquisition of Russian missile defense systems led to its exclusion from the acquisition of the more advanced F-35.
Kathimerini understands that the F-16 sale to Turkey will include the condition that they will not be used against another NATO member, that is, Greece. The condition will be included in a letter by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Foreign Relations committees. Ankara is said to have agreed to the formula after discreet negotiations with Greece in which the respective US ambassadors to Athens and Ankara, George Tsunis and Jeff Flake, were involved.
