Despite Turkey's insistence, the US administration, which did not give the Patriots, almost usurped the 1.4 billion dollars it had invested in the F-35s, and pushed the issue of not using the S-400 air defense systems, which is seen as an urgent need, continues its arrogant and unfair attempts.
The United States administration continues to put pressure on Turkey over the S-400 air defense systems. Having unilaterally removed Turkey from the F-35 project, of which it is a project partner and invested $1.4 billion, and rejecting the Patriot purchase request, the United States continues its attempts to manage Turkey's defense policies with all its impudence. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave the message that “We will not take a step back in the S-400s” in an interview he gave to the American press during his visit to the USA last week. Unjust and arrogant statements continue to be made by the United States regarding the S-400, which has become a hot topic again after Erdogan's statements.
ERDOĞAN: "WE PAID 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS, WE CANNOT BUY F-35s"
In an interview with New York-based CBS television, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the difficulties the US has brought to Turkey regarding the Patriot and the F-35.
"I told President Joe Biden all that was needed. Let me tell you now; Look, we bought F-35 planes and paid 1 billion 400 million dollars. But America did not deliver our planes, for which we paid 1 billion 400 million dollars. We also asked for Patriots, unfortunately we were not given Patriots in the same way in this regard. We made the same complaints to Trump and Biden. Well, why aren't these 5 of my planes being given right now? I paid this money. Here's the money I paid. The US cannot interfere with our purchase of the S-400. If you don't give Patriots to Turkey, you can't interfere with any defense system we can buy from another country at the defense point," he said.
US ADMINISTRATION THREATENS WITH SANCTIONS AGAIN
Following Erdogan's statements, the American administration continued to threaten Turkey with sanctions on the S-400 issue. US President Joe Biden gave a one-sentence and frivolous answer to the question of Turkey's insistence on the S-400, directed to him by journalists in the garden of the White House, as "We have already overcome those issues". The US State Department, on the other hand, announced that they had warned Turkey not to buy more military supplies from Russia, and that sanctions would be increased if their warnings were not heeded.
US AMBASSADOR CANDIDATES JEFF FLAKE TALKED LIKE A COLONIAL GOVERNOR
Jeff Flake, nominated by the American President Joe Biden as the Ankara Ambassador Candidate, made statements about Turkey that exceeded his limits and position. Flake, who claims that Turkey is involved in aggressive actions in the region
"The United States needs an ambassador who will not hesitate to hold Turkey accountable. Our relationship with Turkey faces deep challenges. Turkey chose to purchase and test the Russian S-400 system. This action contradicted the commitments made by all Allies at the 2016 NATO summit and rightly triggered Turkey's expulsion from the F-35 program and the imposition of CAATSA sanctions. I will repeatedly reiterate that disposing of the S-400s is the way to lift CAATSA sanctions. I warn Turkey that future purchases of Russian weapons risk triggering further sanctions," Flake said.
For now, it is a matter of curiosity that there will be no response from the Turkish side to Flake's arrogant statements.