WASHINGTON – ANSWER. The intentions of Congress and how they will be shaped if it is approved annexation of Sweden before NATO meeting in July attempts to decipher about White House and indeed at a very high level. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, in phone calls over the past 24 hours with members of Congress who hold the key to developments on international arms sales, explores the prospects and the possibility of softening their objections. The fact that these contacts, usually made through State Departmentchosen for execution by the White House, testifies to the increased interest of the American president himself in solving this complex problem and its urgent nature.

Mr. Sullivan is said to receive a familiar response that can be summarized as: “Sweden is not the only problem; a complete change of policy is required.” An answer that further complicates the puzzle for the White House, which cannot guarantee either Congress that Turkey’s change of position on a number of issues will be permanent, nor Turkey that they will be automatically approved after Sweden joins. fighters.

This context was also described by the Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken to his colleague Hakan Fidan in a telephone conversation in which, among other things, he explained to him that the removal of obstacles for Sweden in the coming weeks is more than necessary, as this will work in support of efforts to reach an agreement with Congress.

At the same time, in the background, the Turkish apparatus in Washington is making proposals to members of Congress that have made it clear that lifting Turkish objections to Sweden would create a favorable climate for the sale of fighter jets. At the present stage, the role of specific legislators does not allow any interference in favor of Turkish positions, but an attempt is made to create a pole of support that can be useful in the near future.

Don’t “lose” Turkey

At these meetings, According to reportsthe Turks for the first time so openly and purely transactionally connect issues Sweden And F16, giving a clear example of the new approach they intend to take in their dealings with the US. Analysts in the American capital note that Ankara’s looming decision to build a trade-type relationship with Washington appears to have already been taken by the White House (as Sullivan hinted at in an interview with CNN) so as not to “lose it.” Türkiye. It is recalled that Sullivan for the first time characterized the foreign policy of his NATO ally as independent, actually accepting this fact and declaring his readiness to cooperate with it in this context.

Intensive Turkish mobility in Washington is offset by the activation of the Greek-American mechanism of pressure through letters and contacts.

The intense Turkish mobility in the Congress is offset by the reactivation of the Greek-American pressure mechanism with a flood of letters, actions and contacts. The effectiveness of this coordinated effort is reflected in the response of the Senate’s most powerful man, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, to his communications with expatriates. Mr. Schumer said that “Turkey is a serious threat to global stability and we must do everything possible to counter its aggression in the Middle East and its region.” Eastern Mediterranean. The notion that the US should trust Turkey to uphold global rules and the international order is not only dangerous, but endangers our security and that of our allies. I firmly believe that the US and the international community must take diplomatic action to ensure that Turkey is held accountable for any wrongdoing it may commit. Ultimately, Congress must evaluate the implications of this proposed arms sale and whether it is in the interests of the United States and our allies.”

The effectiveness of his actions Greek American lobby but it is also reflected in the fact that the interest of the White House and the State Department in Greek issues and concerns is now consolidated and placed on the agenda, which determines a number of issues. In fact, in the arguments used by government officials in their contacts with Congress, they included the de-escalation of Greek-Turkish relations and the cessation of flights, trying to diagnose whether these data could influence the course of events.

The Greek side said, where necessary, that “the F16 case is not an end in itself, but a means” to ensure that no one, let alone the US, can and should not put up with Turkish aggression and revisionism. In addition, there must be some assurance that any de-escalation by Turkey will be permanent and that US weapons will not be used against allies to violate sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Greek-American factor is fully aware that if Sweden joins soon, and given the suspension of flights and the atmosphere of de-escalation, which are seen as clear signs of goodwill on the part of the US, the climate in favor of Turkey will improve significantly.

Menendez – Biden

In the end, however, everything will be decided by the position Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez takes and how interventionist he decides to be. President Joe Biden. In the hypothetical and rather unlikely scenario in which Biden elects to bypass the so-called veto Menendez, the proposed sale will go to the full House and Senate, where it must be rejected by two-thirds of the legislators. It is unlikely that this number would have been found, since Sweden would have joined, there would have been chokehold pressure from the White House, the Turkish apparatus would have been fully activated on many levels, and the powerful US defense industry would have entered into a pressure game.

But such a development would lead to a serious rift in the relationship between Menendez and Biden. Recall that the senator recently publicly stated that it would be foolish for the government to try to circumvent his objections in this way. A more holistic reading would allow anyone to see that Menendez could create huge problems for the Biden government project. He could, for example, block vacancies created in key undersecretary of state positions by weakening the foreign policy function, he could stop the nominations of ambassadors that Biden wants to appoint, or override his objections on domestic issues of great importance to the White House campaign. such as as a critical immigration plan for flows from Venezuela.