The US government has approved the $23bn (£18bn) sale of 40 new F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye - a move that had been long delayed - after Ankara ratified Sweden's accession to Nato, Paralel.Az reports citing BBC.

The deal includes modernisation kits for 79 existing Turkish F-16s.

The US State Department told Congress it had also approved the sale of 40 F-35 fighters to Greece, costing $8.6bn.

Türkiye ratified Sweden's Nato accession after more than a year of delay that caused tension in the alliance.

It first made the request for the jets in 2021, but its delay in ratifying Sweden's Nato bid proved to be a major stumbling block. Turkey was concerned over Sweden's support for Kurdish separatists.

But Turkish MPs ratified Sweden's bid this week and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan gave his final sign-off.

US President Joe Biden then urged that the F-16 sales be approved "without delay".

"My approval of Türkiye's request to purchase F-16 aircrafts has been contingent on Turkish approval of Sweden's Nato membership," said Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of four key committees that needs to approve arms transfers.

"But make no mistake: This was not a decision I came to lightly."