Answer to the question of how strong will be Congress’ resistance to Turkish request to purchase F-16 gave to The Greek-American MP of the Democratic Party, Giannis Sarbanis.
Speaking to Stavros Ioannidis, he assessed that Turkey’s behavior will not allow the green light to be given to the supply of aircraft, while he also expressed his dissatisfaction with the relations that Ankara maintains with Moscow.
Read the interview in detail:
SKAI journalist: Mr. Sarbani, thank you very much for being with us tonight, I would like to begin with your comment on the forthcoming visit of the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Washington and his meeting with President Biden. What should we expect from this meeting?
Giannis Sarbanis: We are very happy that the Prime Minister is coming, it is an important visit, he is coming at an important time. I believe that it signals the interest of both sides in strengthening cooperation and I sincerely believe that the visit shows that our President, President Biden, considers Greece as a valuable partner.
SKAI journalist: Do you think it is possible for Congress to respond positively to Turkey’s request for new fighter jets?
Giannis Sarbanis: I think there is very strong resistance in Congress to any agreement to sell F-16s to Turkey. In my opinion, this is the view of most of my colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the US Senate. Turkey is not entitled to such an agreement given its behavior.
SKAI journalist: What are your thoughts on Ankara’s close relations with Moscow and Turkey’s role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?
Giannis Sarbanis: It is very disappointing but it is not surprising to see this relationship between Turkey and Russia, I would say that we see that Putin and Erdogan share many common features, unfortunately. And Turkey, as I pointed out, does not participate in the severe sanctions imposed by the great international alliance.
SKAI journalist: The Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement was ratified by the Greek Parliament. What does it mean for the strategic cooperation between the two countries and do you think that it paves the way for Greece to acquire an F-35?
Giannis Sarbanis: It shields our cooperation, it prepares the ground for new opportunities, for cooperation, as we move forward we see how much we can expand this cooperation to include the capability of the F-35, this is also a part of it. We are very pleased that the Greek Parliament has taken this step and we look forward to investing in this cooperation in the future.
SKAI journalist: I would also like your comment on the pivotal role of Alexandroupolis.
Giannis Sarbanis: Alexandroupolis is another example of how Greece is constantly taking steps and is a strong ally and partner of the United States. It shows that our relationship is based on values. It is not a transaction, as we often describe the way Turkey wants to do business with the United States.
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