News and Commentary

Tension Between U.S. And Turkey Escalates: Turkey Threatens To Buy Russian Jets Over F-35s

   DailyWire.com

Over the last few weeks, tensions between the United States and Turkey have been rising over Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile system. Now, Turkey is threatening to buy Russian fighter jets over the American F-35 jets.

In an interview with NTV television on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, “If the F-35s don’t work out, I will again have to procure the jets I need from elsewhere … There are (Russian) SU-34, SU-57 and others. I will absolutely meet my needs from somewhere until I can produce it myself.”​

Vice President Mike Pence threatened to expel Turkey from the join F-35 program if they went through with the S-400 purchase, The Daily Wire previously reported.

“We have made it clear that we will not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries — weapons that threaten the very cohesion of this alliance,” Pence said at a conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO. “Turkey’s purchase of a 2.5 billion S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia poses great danger to NATO and to the strength of this alliance.”

Pence also announced that all shipments of F-35 joint strike fighter-related equipment was suspended.

Cavusoglu also said that Turkey would be willing to buy the American Patriot air defense system, but is open to buying more S-400s.

“If the United States is willing to sell, then we’ll buy Patriots. However, if the United States doesn’t want to sell, we may buy more S-400s or other systems,” Cavusoglu said.

In a column for The New York Times, leaders of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Sen. Jack Reed (RI), threatened to impose sanctions if Turkey’s S-400 purchase goes forward.

“By the end of the year, Turkey will have either F-35 advanced fighter aircraft on its soil or a Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system. It will not have both,” the column begins. “The choice made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will have profound consequences for his country’s place in the world, its relationship with the United States and its standing in NATO.”

The column points out that Turkey’s purchase of the Russian system would be “incompatible with its commitments to NATO and reduce its interoperability with allies.”

“If President Erdogan fails to make this choice and accepts delivery of the S-400, sanctions will be imposed as required by United States law under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act,” the senators wrote. “Sanctions will hit Turkey’s economy hard — rattling international markets, scaring away foreign direct investment and crippling Turkey’s aerospace and defense industry.”

According to Business Insider, Turkey produces about 6% or 7% of the F-35’s components and planned to buy 100 of the jets, having already received two.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United States and the European Union of “meddling” in Turkey’s local elections.

The Daily Wire reported:

Erdogan told reporters, “America and Europe are… meddling in Turkey’s internal affairs,” reported AFP, and that the U.S. and Europe should “know your place.”

“Turkey gave a democracy lesson to the whole world,” Erdogan added.

On Sunday, Erdogan’s party, the AKP, suffered a defeat in the mayoral race for Istanbul, the city in which Erdogan rose to power in as mayor. The AKP also lost control of Ankara, the capital city which has been held by the party for decades. Since the defeat, the AKP has contested the results in both cities, and a recount is currently taking place in districts of Istanbul, The Washington Post reported.

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Tension Between U.S. And Turkey Escalates: Turkey Threatens To Buy Russian Jets Over F-35s