If the US refuses to sell F-35 fighter jets, then Turkey turns to other options, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday. “Don’t you sell Turkey F-35 Ok then, sorry but we take our measures and turn to other options,” Erdogan was quoted by Anadolu Agency as saying.
Erdogan’s remarks came during a meeting with the provincial heads of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the Ankara headquarters.
President Donald Trump reportedly told Republican senators during a closed-door White House meeting Tuesday that he is not in favor of implementing penalties on Turkey for its acquisition of the Russian S-400 anti-air missile system.
Trump has repeatedly voiced reluctance to penalize Turkey over its purchase of the S-400, doing so last week when announcing Ankara’s removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
Turkey’s expulsion is slated to be completed by the end of March 2020.
The Trump administration has maintained that the S-400 could expose the advanced fighter to possible Russian subterfuge and is incompatible with Nato systems.
Turkey, however, counters that the S-400 would not be integrated into Nato systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.