Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis emphasized the importance of including specific terms in a potential F-16 contract with Turkey to guarantee that the fighters will not be utilized against US allies in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Malliotakis expressed her dissatisfaction with the placement of national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who stated the White House's intention to proceed with the sale of the F-16s while consulting with Congress at the NATO Summit in Vilnius.
The congresswoman criticized the Biden administration, contrasting Greece's responsible attitude with Turkey's consistent anti-alliance behavior in recent years.
Malliotakis highlighted Greece's status as one of the United States' oldest friends and reliable allies, including their significant support in Ukraine. She criticized Biden's decision, which she saw as sacrificing Greece's interests to appease Turkey, a country that has shown reluctance in joining NATO and has not imposed sanctions on Russia like other NATO members. Furthermore, Malliotakis mentioned Turkey's undermining of operations against the Islamic State in Syria, repeated threats against Greece with illegal overflights and invasion rhetoric, and a long history of human rights abuses.
She stressed the need for any potential sale to include conditions that prevent the equipment from being used against Eastern Mediterranean allies.
