Erdogan says the US and Canada signals may help Turkey move on Sweden’s NATO bid.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that encouraging developments regarding the United States’ supply of F-16 fighter fighters to Ankara and Canada’s weapons embargo would assist Turkey’s parliament in moving closer to ratifying Sweden’s application to join NATO.

Throughout a lengthy period of non-alignment, Sweden and Finland submitted their applications to join NATO in the year after Russia invaded Ukraine. However, Turkey, a member of NATO, voiced its disapproval of what it identified as the two countries’ protection of organizations that Ankara considers to be terrorist organizations.

Turkey approved the membership application submitted by Finland in April; nevertheless, Turkey and Hungary have kept Sweden waiting.

“The favorable outcomes that we anticipate both on the acquisition of F-16s from the United States and on the commitments that Canada has made on easing its arms embargo would assist our parliament in having a positive stance on Sweden… According to a text message that Erdogan’s office distributed, Erdogan informed reporters that they connected while he was on an aircraft returning from Hungary.

Turkey was requested in October 2021 to purchase forty F-16 fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT.N) and seventy-nine modernization kits for its current aircraft.

Even though the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden favors the sale of twenty billion dollars, reservations have been raised in the United States Congress about Turkey’s human rights record and the fact that it has delayed Sweden’s membership in NATO.

After Erdogan indicated in July that Sweden would receive approval from Ankara, Canada discreetly agreed to re-open discussions with its NATO partner Turkey on removing export prohibitions on drone parts, including optical technology, according to Reuters. This agreement was made after Erdogan signaled that Sweden would receive approval from Ankara.

During a week ago phone call, Erdogan said he talked with Vice President Joe Biden about Sweden’s membership in NATO.

“In the call, Mr. Biden said, ‘You pass this (Sweden’s NATO bid) from the parliament and I will get it (the F-16 sale) passed from the Congress’,” Erdogan told reporters.