This image provided by the US Air Force shows an F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 510th Fighter Squadron taking off during Red Flag 24-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on Jan 25, 2024. (PHOTO / US AIR FORCE VIA AP)

WASHINGTON - The US Senate on Thursday soundly defeated an effort to stop the $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Türkiye, which President Joe Biden's administration approved after Türkiye approved Sweden's joining the NATO alliance.

The Senate voted 79 to 13 against a resolution of disapproval of the sale introduced by Republican Senator Rand Paul.

Before the vote, Paul criticized Türkiye's government and said allowing the sale would embolden its "misbehavior". Backers of the sale said it was important for Washington to keep its word to a NATO ally.

The sale had been held up for months over issues including Türkiye's refusal to approve Sweden's accession to the military alliance

The Biden administration formally informed Congress on Jan 26 of its intention to proceed with the sale of 40 Lockheed Martin F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits to Türkiye, a day after Ankara fully completed ratification of the NATO membership of Sweden.

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The sale had been held up for months over issues including Türkiye's refusal to approve Sweden's accession to the military alliance. Türkiye first asked to make the purchase in October 2021.

The US Arms Export Control Act gives Congress the right to stop a major weapons sale by passing a resolution of disapproval in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Although the law has been in effect for half a century, no such resolution has both passed Congress and survived a presidential veto.

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Sweden and Finland applied to enter NATO after Russia started its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. While Finnish membership was sealed last year, Sweden's bid had been held up by Türkiye and Hungary. All NATO members need to approve applications from countries seeking to join the alliance.