Erdogan sees Turkey as a world power that wants to change the global governance and security order: “No plan in the world can succeed without Turkey. Everyone will knock on our door,” said the Turkish president, as reported by Manolis Kostidis from Istanbul.

Erdogan said: “Turkey is getting stronger with its infrastructure and it is expected that it will face the world regime. We say that “the world is bigger than 5 countries” and we don’t expect the doors to be opened wide for us, since we challenge the global order of security management that was formed after the First and Second World Wars.

But there is a truth. In our near or distant geography, no plan will be able to work without Turkey, and if it is attempted, it will not succeed. We experienced many such attempts, many such examples. Those who attempted it in the end were forced to request the help of Turkey, the support of Turkey and the alliance of Turkey. Despite the clear reality there are some who dream but be sure that they too will knock on Turkey’s door.

In citation of Bob Menendez Turkish President Erdogan mentioned, saying that his removal is an opportunity that Turkey should take advantage of.

He noted that Menendez’s exit provides an advantage, not just for the F-16s but for many issues.

“Fidan will now have to meet with Blinken again,” he said.

Erdogan noted: “One of our major problems regarding the F-16s was US Senator Bob Menendez’s activities against our country. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met in America three or four days ago. These talks are still ongoing. But now, it would be beneficial to turn this situation into an opportunity and meet with him again. That way, we might have an opportunity to speed up the process on the F-16s. Menendez’s exit gives us an advantage, but the F-16 issue is not a Menendez-only issue.

Turkish analysts emphasize that with the Greek F-16 VIPERs, the balance of power in the Aegean has changed: “The US knows our need for F-16s and is pressuring us.” – “If we take the F-16s, Turkey will pay 20 billion . dollars”.

“The US uses all our gaps, our sensitivities and our shortcomings as a weapon against us. This is the impasse we are in regarding the F-16. If we had a similar aircraft in our hands, then we would say to the USA ‘you go your way and I go mine. Don’t give them to me. But we cannot say that. Because it changed the balance of power in the Aegean. We see this. We Americans want to get the F-16 Viper. We will buy 40 and modernize 79. At the beginning an amount of 6 billion dollars was announced. After that the cost increased to 20 billion dollars. But there is a big difference between 6 and 20 billion, but this arises because of the weapon systems and spare parts.”