A number of members of the US Congress gave the green light to the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after Ankara's mediation efforts on the situation in Ukraine, Turkish TV channel A Haber reported.

The United States previously sent an official notice to Turkey about its exclusion from the program for the supply of the latest F-35 fighters due to Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. The States canceled the joint memorandum on the F-35 with Turkey, signing it with the seven remaining partners in the F-35 project - the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, Canada and Norway.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan subsequently announced a US proposal to buy other fighters, but not the fifth, but the fourth generation - the F-16. This issue will also have to be agreed upon in the US Congress - the State Department is lobbying this issue, convincing congressmen that the deal serves the interests of Washington.

Many members of Congress who have previously made efforts to remove Turkey from the F-35 program have given the green light to sell the F-16 to Turkey after its role in the military process in Ukraine. The role that Turkey has played in the recent period has reduced possible objections in Congress regarding the sale of F-16s to Ankara, the TV channel reported.

The channel cited Gregory Meeks, chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, who stressed the need for the US to work with Turkey.

Turkey has taken some steps in the right direction, although some things worry us from time to time, there are areas where we need to work with Turkey, the politician said.

In turn, Jim Risch, Republican leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Turkey has presented credible arguments as to why it needs F-16s.