Erdogan Lions Out Against US: If You Don’t Give Us F-16s, We Have Alternatives Like S-400s

In new lionizations for the upgrade and acquisition of F-16 fighter jets the president of Turkey said Tayyip Erdogan, warning the United States that Turkey has “alternatives” as reported by SKAI’s Istanbul correspondent Manolis Kostidis.

Greece has Menendez, we have… “impartial Stoltenberg” who supports us for the F-16s, Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan essentially said

“For now, the (US) administration’s outlook is moving in a positive direction. Of course, America is not the only way out for us. Just as with the S-400, we are also negotiating alternatives outside the US when necessary. From there we will go to the way of providing this work. We have such alternatives at our disposalhe interpreted.

“As you know, our work on the F-16 began last year, and that process is currently continuing as planned. In his meetings with the Secretary of National Defense, the American Secretary of Defense states that they support it both as an administration, as a ministry and militarily. Previously, our Ministry of National Defense held four meetings between delegations, three in Turkey and one in the United States. The process continues. The statements of senators like Menendez are his personal opinion, his personal allegations. It in no way reflects an institutional situation” the Turkish president claimed.

In addition, he added, “his relations with Greece are also the subject of a separate study. Why are they so biased about it? Again, at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting recently, Stoltenberg himself clearly and unequivocally expressed his “impartiality” in this matter. He stated that the delivery of F-16s to Turkey is an important event not only for Turkey, but also for NATO and that the stronger Turkey is, the more ready NATO’s average value will increase in this way.”

Therefore, noted Tayyip Erdogan, we are closely monitoring the developments and the process. We have done and continue to do everything necessary for a positive result. But on the other hand he meaningfully mentioned about alternatives to acquiring non-US aircraft, the global market is large, so there are various solutions.

“Menendez’s opposition alone does not hinder this work. Anyone can propose, but the bill must pass through Congress, which is not the current atmosphere. So it’s not like one person is against it.” admitted the president of Turkey.

On the other hand, he added, the (American) administration is already taking the necessary steps in a positive direction. “During my last visit to America, I had some very positive meetings with representatives of the Senate and Congress. In these meetings I also saw senators who said, “I will meet personally with Menendez,” and I saw that they did not accept this approach of Menendez. So the whole point here is how the Congress and the Senate are going to act in general.”

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