US officials have accused Ankara of threatening NATO’s security with its purchase of a Russian air defense platform.
The United States will only allow Türkiye to return to the F-35 program if it agrees to ditch Russia’s S-400 missile defense system, US Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has said, also suggesting Washington may even lift existing sanctions on its NATO ally if Ankara behaves well.
Speaking with CNNTurk television on Monday, Nuland said Ankara could be brought in from the cold on the F-35 project if it resolved the spat, after Türkiye was booted from the program in 2019 over its acquisition of the S-400.
“If we could get through this S-400 issue, which we would like to do, the US would be delighted to welcome Türkiye back into the F-35 family,” she said, adding “If we can get through this issue, then the CAATSA issue will go away, and we can get back into an F-35 conversation,” referring to US sanctions which target Türkiye’s arms industry.
Erdogan signs off on NATO expansionREAD MORE: Erdogan signs off on NATO expansion
In announcing the CAATSA penalties, Washington said it had informed Ankara that the S-400 purchase would “endanger the security of US military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia’s defense sector,” going on to remind its ally of “the availability of alternative, NATO-interoperable systems to meet its defense requirements.” It urged Türkiye to “resolve the S-400 problem immediately.”
While it remains unclear whether Ankara will accept Nuland’s offer to walk away from the Russian air defense system, officials have previously rejected the idea, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisting the purchase was a “done deal.” Turkish defense industry chief Haluk Gorgun later added that his country was “making air defense systems” of its own, saying “We don’t need S-300s, S-400s.”
In addition to being kicked out of the F-35 program, under which Ankara produced hundreds of aircraft parts, the White House had also declined to authorize a sale of F-16 upgrades for the country’s air force. However, US officials greenlit a deal for 79 modernization kits last week, though it remains to be seen whether the move spells any broader change to US policy toward its NATO ally.
“The 15-day period started on Friday night. After 15 days, this notification period will end and then we will proceed with the implementation,” Nuland continued. “As I understand it, modernization begins immediately. Frankly, I do not know by heart when the new jets will be ready, but it is obvious that it is a priority for the USA for Turkey to obtain these jets as soon as possible.”
The senior US diplomat went on to suggest that Ankara’s recent vote in favor of Swedish NATO membership had sealed the deal, stating “We are very pleased that Türkiye joined us in saying yes to Sweden.”
Another “faces of evil” , and what an ugly one.
I’m amazed that creatures like that are still walking the earth.
The US is treating Türkiye like a teacher would talk to a child: “Now, now. That’s naughty! You cannot have those F35’s if you buy the S400’s.”
Countries such as the US (and other large countries) should respect others sovereignty, specifically leaving them to decide what mix of military hardware they want to defend their own country.
As for the F35, it is stealthy and capable. However, it has a very large down-time compared to other fighter aircraft, it is expensive, and it only has one engine: Most fighters have two engines so if you lose one, you can return to base, but the mission is over. With one engine, if you lose it then it is “Martin-Baker time” (Eject). I wonder what would happen if Türkiye purchased the F35 and then later decided to purchase the Russian S400’s? Would the US then disallow Türkiye from parts and service for the F35? If so, then perhaps Türkiye would be better off going all Russian hardware, some MIGS or SU fighters, SU57 perhaps – if they can produce them in numbers.
Picked this article out at random
How Much More Expensive Can the F-35 Actually Get?
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a36983255/how-much-does-f-35-cost/
But that’s not the problem here. Rather, the Pentagon’s headaches start after the Air Force receives the F-35. At the time the GAO wrote the report, all three versions of the F-35 cost $38,000 per hour to fly. That’s significantly higher than what the Pentagon originally thought it would pay.
Turkiye’s Erdogan will not be intimidated nor threatened…especially by the Zionist J3wess who interfered (along with Obama) in Ukraine’s (s)elections.
Nuland was the person who essentially started the Russian / Ukrainian War in 2014- by having the Zionist/Jewish-led Ukraine attack ethnic Orthodox Russians in the Donbass.
The Crimea voted legally and lawfully within International Voting Law guidelines to re-join Russia, hence, it was never ‘annexed’ as J3w3$$ Nuland has raged about…
The Eastern Ukrainian Oblast in the Donbass also voted to re-join Russia.
Also, this was the woman who said “F@#K THE E.U.” in a phone call that was tapped when plans were being hatched to cause internal strife in the Ukraine that has led to the problems in the eastern part of the Ukraine, lied with regards to the Minsk Agreement, and thus forced Russia’s hand to invade the Ukrainian regions that are ethnically Russian.
Putin tried to reason with *NATO (*Khazaria in drag…) but Nuland pushed on for a regional proxy war.
Ukraine has lost that war, but accomplished in killing 600,000 of it’s own NON-J3wi$h population as prescribed in the Babylonian Talmud.
Scott Ritter today stated on Judge Napolitano’s show online that Israel AND the Ukraine are finished, and the greatest threat to what’s left of Israel is the Likud Far-Right party of Bibi Netanyahu.
From here on out, the U.S., the U.K. and portions of the NATO and European UN Alliances will now push for a proxy war becoming a regional one, and from there, it will ignite globally.
Get prepped, and demand from Parliament that New Zealand become a nation of armed neutrality as noted and suggested in part by the National Security Journal.
Keep tuned to Al-Jazeera for the news of Gaza and the West Bank that Zionist-owned MSM will NOT show you!
The F35 is a lemon, keep the S400s.
Do what Hungary has done and tell them to p*** off…you can get better jets off the Chinese or Russians…..oh and dump NATO while you are at it….
ugly fat ****** cow
That is the face of utter possession. It would destroy a planet just to get its own way. E.V.I.L.