US ready to welcome Turkey ‘back into F-35 family’ if S-400 issue is resolved
The United States is prepared to let Turkey back into its F-35 fighter jet program as long as the issue of its acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system is resolved, Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has told CNN Turk.
“We were in the process of negotiating the Patriot sale, and while those negotiations were going on, Turkey went in another direction…. Frankly, if we can resolve this S-400 issue, which we want to do, the USA would be pleased to welcome Turkey back into the F-35 family. But we must solve this other issue first, and while we solve it, we must also ensure that Turkey has a strong air defense,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of a visit to Turkey on Sunday, aimed at “reinvigorating” ties between the two countries.
On the matter of an agreement for the acquisition of US-made F-16 jets and modernization kits that still needs the approval of Congress, Nuland said that efforts have been made to convince US lawmakers that “Turkey’s development of the F-16 fleet is very important for American security, and that being fully active and participating at this level is important for burden sharing among the allies.”
“Turkey’s acquisition of these jets is a priority for the USA,” she added.
