Turkey links Sweden’s NATO bid to US approving F-16 jet sales and Canada lifting arms embargo

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is linking ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership by Turkey’s parliament to U.S. approval of Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 fighter jets. He also calls on Canada to lift an arms embargo on Turkey. Erdogan spoke while returning from a visit to Hungary, the only other country besides Turkey not to have formally approved Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance. Turkey has delayed ratification of Sweden’s membership for more than a year. The delays have frustrated other NATO allies who were swift to accept Sweden and Finland after they dropped their longstanding military neutrality following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.