Turkey could turn to other countries, including Russia, to acquire fighter jets if the United States does not provide it with F-16 fighters, the Turkish president said on Friday (September 9th). Recep Tayyip Erdogan multiplies the marks of defiance with regard to the West, and the calls of the foot to Moscow. A member of NATO, the country wants to renew its fleet, but the contract was frozen by Washington in 2019, after Ankara’s purchase of a Russian anti-missile system.
With our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer
This is not the first time that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted that he could buy fighter jets from Russia. He had envisioned it when the United States was coming to exclude his country from the F-35 program, this stealth aircraft that Turkey was helping to manufacture and which it had chosen to renew its fleet of aging F-16s. It was 2019, Ankara had just acquired a Russian air defense system, causing American sanction.
Despite the war in Ukraine, the Turkish president has obviously not given up on getting state-of-the-art military equipment from Moscow. At least he lets the idea float, hoping to put pressure on the United States.
For months, the latter have been in talks for the sale of 40 F-16 planes, as well as parts necessary for the modernization of the 80 planes that Turkey already has. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not only cited Russia, but also France and the United Kingdom as possible suppliers.
US President Joe Biden has said he is in favor of delivering F-16s to Turkey. But the elected representatives of Congress demand that she refrain from violating Greek airspace to authorize the sale. A condition that Turkey considers unacceptable.