"Don't sell planes until Erdogan gives NATO yes"

NATO  

Senators: Stop the battle plan to Turkey until Sweden is allowed to join NATO

Of:  

Jip van der Tang Eliasson 

Published: Yesterday 23.34 

Updated: Yesterday 23.46  

American F-16 Fighting Falcon. Photo: Lars Pehrson/SvD/TT 

NEWS  

Don't sell F16 planes to Turkey if they don't let Sweden and Finland into NATO.  

That's what 27 US senators demand in a letter to President Biden, Reuters reports.  

In a letter to US President Joe Biden, 27 US senators write that they do not intend to approve the sale as long as Turkey does not ratify Sveden and Finland's NATO applications.  

Reuters foreign policy reporter, Hümeyra Pamuk, has published the letter on her Twitter. 

In the letter, it is stated that the congress "cannot stand behind future support to Turkey" unless the country agrees to "finalize the acceptance" of Sweden and Finland in NATO. 

According to CNN, the sale of the plane would be one of the largest sales of war material in several years, but is now at risk of not happening. 

US President Joe Biden. Photo: Susan Walsh/AP 

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a joint press conference in Stockholm on Thursday. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT  

Turkey's anger towards Sweden  

Turkey has previously said the country will say no to Swedish membership as long as it is allowed to burn Korans in Sweden. 

- Sweden, don't worry. As long as you allow my holy book, the Koran, to be burned and destroyed, we will not say 'yes' to your entry into NATO," Erdogan said, according to Turkish media. 

The statement came after several actions in Sweden where, among others, Rasmus Paludan burned the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.  

Turkey has also raged against the fact that a doll representing Erdogan was hung by the feet outside Stockholm's city hall.