Anthony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, arrived in Turkey on Sunday for a critical diplomatic visit, primarily to discuss the United States’ increased assistance to Turkey in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that resulted in immense loss of life and property. The earthquake, which struck southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria on February 6 with a magnitude of 7.8, led to the tragic death of over 45,000 individuals and left more than a million people homeless, with the economic toll of the disaster running into billions of dollars.
A key point on Blinken’s agenda is the ongoing issue of NATO membership applications from Sweden and Finland. Turkey has withheld its ratification, citing concerns over individuals residing in Sweden whom Ankara deems as affiliated with terrorist groups. In a recent development, Turkey expressed willingness to approve only Finland’s application, a stance that has drawn international attention and debate.
The matter of Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO bids is intricately linked to Turkey’s aspiration to acquire US F-16 fighter jets. The US Congress has shown resistance to this sale, conditioning it on Ankara’s approval of the NATO memberships. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen emphasized this stance, stating, “There will be no transfer of F-16s if Erdogan continues to deny membership to Finland and Sweden… He will not be able to approve (entry only) Finland and get F-16s, and I think a lot of people agree with that.” This statement was made in an interview on Saturday.
While the Biden administration has openly supported the sale of F-16 jets to Turkey, it has carefully avoided directly linking this issue with the NATO membership ratifications. However, it acknowledges that the approval of both countries’ candidacies could positively influence Congress’s decision.
During his visit, Blinken is scheduled for bilateral talks in Ankara on Monday, including a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to sources familiar with the visit’s planning. This visit marks Blinken’s first to Turkey as Secretary of State, occurring two years into his tenure, a notable delay compared to some of his predecessors like Hillary Clinton and Rex Tillerson, who visited Turkey within their first three months in office.
The United States has already extended significant support to Turkey following the earthquake, dispatching a search and rescue team, equipment, and an additional $85 million in humanitarian aid, also benefitting Syria. This visit and the discussions therein are set against the backdrop of a complex and evolving relationship between the United States and Turkey, particularly since 2019 when Ankara acquired Russian missile defense systems. Despite some alignment of interests, especially post Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US remains wary of Turkey’s close ties with Moscow, as noted by experts.
