Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for military officers, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that Turkey needs the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries as well as the U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets for its fight against terror.
“Turkey needs the S-400 missile defense systems, and will procure them as soon as possible. Turkey also needs the F-35 fighter jets. We are project partners, have invested $900 million into this and will continue to pay its installments,” said Erdoğan, adding that Turkey would obtain the jets from elsewhere if Washington halts their delivery.
“The fight against terror seems to be the right of every nation but Turkey. It is not possible for Turkey to accept such impositions,” he added.
A Turkish fighter pilot has carried out the first flight of the F-35 jet in the U.S. as part of ongoing training, the Turkish General Staff said on Tuesday.Early July, the Pentagon said Turkish pilots and maintenance personnel were being trained on the F-35 fighter jet in the state of Arizona.Late June, Turkey took delivery of its first F-35 fighter jet at a ceremony in Forth Worth, Texas.US delegation flounces threat to Turkey about F-35s and S-400sTurkey plans to get 100 F-35 fighter jets in upcoming years.Turkey has been in the F-35 program since 1999. The Turkish defense industry has taken an active role in the production of the aircraft; Alp Aviation, AYESAS, Kale Aviation, Kale Pratt Whitney and Turkish Aerospace Industries have been producing parts for the first F-35 fighter jet.
Turkish pilot carries out first F-35 jet flight in US
The U.S. House and Senate of Congress in late July agreed to bar the delivery of any F-35s to Turkey until the Pentagon delivers a plan evaluating the ramifications of axing Turkey from the program, and the state of Washington-Ankara ties.
Russia will begin delivering its advanced S-400 missile defense system to Turkey in 2019, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said in August.
A delegation from the U.S. Congress met with officials from Turkey’s Foreign Affairs and Defense ministries. The delegation from Washington is headed by Michael R. Turner, while the Turkish delegation is headed by Osman Aşkın Bak.The officials discussed Turkey’s purchase of the U.S.-made F-35 jets and the Russian S-400 missile defense system.The U.S. delegation indicated that if Turkey backed down from its deal to purchase the Russian S-400s then it would remove obstacles preventing Ankara’s purchase of the F-35s.Russia to start delivering S-400 defense system to Turkey in 2019The U.S. House and Senate of Congress in late July agreed to bar the delivery of any F-35s to Turkey until the Pentagon delivers a plan evaluating the ramifications of axing Turkey from the program, and the state of Washington-Ankara ties.Russia will begin delivering its advanced S-400 missile defense system to Turkey in 2019, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Tuesday.The Turkish delegation asked that the negative stance of U.S. Congress toward Ankara be remedied, adding that Washington was not doing enough in the struggle against the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) and that the two countries needed to boost cooperation.F-35 Joint Program Office to execute current plansTurkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson.The sanctions were followed by U.S President Donald Trump increasing tariffs on Turkish imports, which Turkey responded to by imposing customs duties on several U.S.-origin products, including alcohol and tobacco products and cars.
US delegation flounces threat to Turkey about F-35s and S-400s
“Exchange rate volatility will pass”
The president also touched on currency volatility, dubbing it an attack on the Turkish lira.
“It is impossible to explain the attempt by the U.S. to use the case of pastor Brunson to topple Turkey economically and militarily. There is no need to be a genius to see who those behind the volatility in the exchange rates are; it is clearly an operation against Turkey. The exchange rate volatility will pass,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing American pastor Andrew Brunson, causing the Turkish lira to depreciate.
The sanctions were followed by U.S President Donald Trump increasing tariffs on Turkish imports, which Turkey responded to by imposing customs duties on several U.S.-origin products, including alcohol and tobacco products and cars.
Recent steps taken by the United States against Turkey are politically motivated and could serve to ultimately bolster regional terrorism and the refugee crisis, Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said on Monday.Albayrak, speaking at a news conference in Paris following a meeting with his French counterpart, Bruno Le Maire, also said that Turkey wanted to increase trade with France - now at 14 billion euros - to 20 billion euros."These steps taken with political motivation will not only impact the global financial system but also global trade and regional stability," Albayrak, who is the son-in-law of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, said.Erdoğan, May discuss bilateral ties, regional issues"With the damage (the steps) will cause to regional stability, they will unfortunately contribute to chaotic problems that feed terrorism and also the refugee crisis."Albayrak said Turkey wanted to take its relations with the European Union to a new phase where trade with the bloc is more important.Recent unilateral steps taken by the United States had shown that relations between Turkey and the EU, namely France, were more important than ever, he said.Albayrak also said France and Turkey shared the same position against one-sided decisions by the United States regarding Iran, and that they had decided to take joint steps in this regard.Video: Turkish Finance Minister meets French counterpart
US steps against Ankara could destabilise region: Turkish FinMin
Erdoğan said Turkey needed alliances with other nations besides the European countries and the U.S.
"We know very well what kind of activities those who force us to have a unilateral relationship are carrying out either secretly or publicly all around the world."