11:05,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. U.S. President Joe Biden sent a letter to leaders of key Capitol Hill committees on Wednesday informing them of his intention to begin the formal notification process for the sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft to Turkey once Ankara completes Sweden’s NATO accession process, Reuters reported citing sources.

In the letter to the top Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees, Biden urged Congress to approve the sale "without delay," a U.S. official told Reuters.

Earlier on Wednesday the White House sent a letter to members of Congress urging approval of the $20 billion sale of F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey, four sources familiar with the letter told Reuters.

Turkey's parliament ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday.

The sources said the letter was sent on Wednesday, and that the Biden administration has not yet formally notified Congress of plans for the sale.  Lawmakers had said they were awaiting Turkey's approval of Sweden's NATO membership- including President Tayyip Erdogan's signature – before deciding whether to approve the sale.