At a time when Ankara is attempting to play the role of mediator in the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks, contacts between Washington and Ankara have intensified, with the issue of the Russian S-400 once again on the table. A "bombshell" proposal has reportedly been made by the US to Turkey.
According to the New York Times, the United States has proposed to Turkey to send to Ukraine as air defence batteries of the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft/anti-missile systems that Ankara has in its possession.
In return, the prospect of Turkey returning to the F-35 program, from which it was expelled precisely because it had proceeded with the purchase of the Russian S-400, is put on the "table". This, of course, would mean that Turkey's relationship with Russia would be "torpedoed" since it would take the side of Ukraine while the war is in full swing.
This scenario is commented on by journalist David Sanger of the New York Times.
According to him, the relevant proposal has already been communicated by the Americans to the Turkish side, but the latter has not made any comment on it (so far), nor has it given any response.
"The proposal for Turkey to supply Ukraine with Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems would also test what Mr. Putin from NATO - and how willing a NATO ally that in recent years has often seemed to build bridges to Moscow is to reiterate its commitment to the alliance and support for Ukraine," the New York Times reports."
The newspaper goes on to say: "The idea came up when Wendy R. Sherman, the deputy secretary of state, visited Turkey two weeks ago. Sherman declined to talk about her discussions."
[/P]Another senior U.S. official said the United States knew the proposal would anger Vladimir Putin. Ukraine already uses Turkish-made drones, but Turkey is concerned that providing the anti-aircraft systems could make the country a target of Russia's wrath."
"At the same time, Turkey's upward trajectory could be significant," the same article said. The newspaper recalls that the Trump administration ousted it from the F-35 fighter program - in which it was both a buyer and manufacturer of components for the advanced aircraft - after the purchase of the S-400. "A deal to send the anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine could open the door to rejoining the F-35 program," the newspaper writes."
Finally, the New York Times reports that the State Department declined to comment, as did the Turkish Embassy in Washington.
Turkey has asked for the lifting of sanctions on its defense industry and 40 new F-16s
An attempt to warm relations was evident in Ankara's ten-day-old telephone conversation between Tayyip Erdogan and Joe Biden. While the war in Ukraine rages and Russia is economically isolated from the international community, Erdogan raised the issue of a review of US-Turkey defence relations.
Tayyip Erdogan told his US counterpart Joe Biden that Turkey's role in trying to resume dialogue between Moscow and Kiev is important in order to prevent the crisis from escalating. He underlined that the Lavrov-Kuleba-Chavusoglu trilateral meeting in Antalya a few hours earlier was a diplomatic success.
Biden welcomed Turkey's efforts to support a diplomatic solution to the crisis. During their phone call, which lasted about an hour, the two leaders expressed concern about the ongoing Russian incursion into Ukraine and reaffirmed their support for Kiev, according to a White House statement.
According to the statement issued by Erdogan's office, the Turkish president stressed to his US counterpart that the time has come to lift all "unjust" sanctions against the Turkish defense industry. He added that Turkey wants to buy 40 new F-16 fighter jets and modernize those it already has as soon as possible.
Ankara originally planned to acquire more than 100 F-35 fighters, built by Lockheed Martin, but the US excluded Turkey from the program in 2019 after it acquired Russia's S-400 missile defense systems. Turkey called the decision unfair and demanded compensation for the $1.4 billion payment.
A few months ago it was reported that Ankara had submitted a request to Washington to buy 40 F-16 aircraft and equipment to modernize its fighter fleet. The acquisition of the Russian S-400 also brought US sanctions on Turkey. In December 2020, Washington blacklisted Turkey's Defense Industry Directorate, its head Ismail Demir and three other officials.
Source: Proto Thema
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