According to reporting from Greek newspaper Kathimerini, the United States has offered to reinclude Turkey in the F-35 fighter jet program if Ankara agrees to station its Russian S-400 missile defense system at the NATO air base in Incirlik.
The report indicates a potential thaw between the two NATO allies, which have been strained since Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system in 2017.
In response, Washington removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program in 2019, despite Ankara having been an initial investor in the program. The United States and other NATO allies have alleged that Turkey’s use of the Russian defense system would compromise the security of the alliance.
Although Ankara purchased the S-400 system in 2017, it has yet to be deployed and remains in storage as Turkey’s disputes with its NATO allies remain unresolved.
The report from Kathimerini indicates that the US is open to Turkey’s deployment of the S-400 system on the condition that it be housed under American control at the Incirlik NATO base in southern Turkey.
The reporting is based on a statement from a former US Secretary of Defense official, who told the newspaper that talks between Ankara and Washington took place at the beginning of July with the aim of ending the long-running rift.
Medyascope'u destekle. Medyascope'a abone ol.
Medyascope’u senin desteğin ayakta tutuyor. Hiçbir patronun, siyasi çıkarın güdümünde değiliz; hangi haberi yapacağımıza biz karar veriyoruz. Tıklanma uğruna değil, kamu yararına çalışıyoruz. Bağımsız gazeteciliğin sürmesi, sitenin açık kalması ve herkesin doğru bilgiye erişebilmesi senin desteğinle mümkün.
Talks on the topic between the two allies are expected to continue when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visits New York to address the United Nations this week. As part of his visit, Erdoğan is reportedly planning to meet with US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
In recent statements at the Türkevi in Manhattan, Erdoğan said “Our dialogue with the United States will continue no matter who becomes president.”
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
