Turkey has already purchased Russian-made S-400s and the missile systems will be delivered next month, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, stressing yet again that the deal with Moscow was irreversible.
“I’m not saying Turkey will buy S-400s, it already has. We have sealed the deal,” Erdoğan said at a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) meeting.
The president reminded that the S-400 agreement with Moscow was appealing not only because of the price but also due to technology transfer and the possibility of joint production.
Addressing the U.S.’ plans to wind down Ankara’s involvement in the F-35 program over the purchase, Erdoğan pointed out that Turkey was not only a client but also a production partner that invested over $1 billion in the project.
“We will meet with President (Donald) Trump in Japan at the end of the month, where we already have meetings planned. I hope there will be a mutual discussion of these issues,” he said.
The Pentagon last week told Turkey that it was cutting off Ankara’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets if the Turkish government went ahead with plans to buy a Russian missile defense system, ratcheting up what has been a lengthy, heated dispute between the two NATO allies.
Shanahan also warned that his decision to end Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program could be followed by other U.S. actions, saying that members of Congress support imposing sanctions on the Turks. Sanctions, he said, could threaten Trump’s commitment to more than triple U.S. trade with Turkey.
Shanahan and other U.S. defense officials stressed that these decisions are not irreversible and that conditions can return to normal if Turkey forgoes the Russian system.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday that the letter sent by Shanahan was “not in the spirit of the alliance,” adding that Turkey was preparing a response.
