WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (Sputnik) - President Joe Biden notified congressional leaders that he plans to formally notify Congress of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye as soon as Ankara completes the NATO ratification process for Sweden, Reuters reported citing a US official.

The report said on Wednesday that Biden in a letter to lawmakers urged them to approve the $20 billion sale.

US law requires the US president to formally notify Congress 30 days before the US government can take the final steps to complete certain foreign military sales of high value.

The White House and US House Speaker Mike Johnson's office did not immediately respond to Sputnik's request for comment on this matter.
Turkiye has long waited for the United States to approve the F-16 deal.

On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament ratified the protocol on Sweden's accession to NATO in a 287-to-55 vote with four abstentions after 20 months of delay. The decision will go into effect once Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signs a corresponding decree. Erdogan has 15 days to consider the possibility of signing the document.

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