Senators warily allow F-16 sale to Turkey as part of NATO expansion agreement. ‘A deal’s a deal’

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. senators have declined to block the sale of F-16s to Turkey. The vote on Thursday gives the Senate’s OK to an unofficial U.S. bargain with Turkey after it stopped blocking Sweden’s accession to NATO. Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul had introduced the resolution to try to block the sale of the fighter jets to Turkey, which he says is a poor ally. Paul called the deal “quid pro quo,” which he said “sounds better than extortion.” Sweden, and Finland, sought to join NATO in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.