ANKARA: Turkey’s foreign minister on Wednesday said that his country could look “elsewhere” if the US does not deliver F-35 fighter jets.
Mevlut Cavusoglu also said in an interview with private NTV television on Tuesday that Turkey could consider acquiring more Russian-made S-400s or other systems to meet urgent needs if it can’t purchase US Patriot systems.
Turkey’s moves to buy the Russian S-400 technology have heightened tensions with Washington.
US Vice President Mike Pence warned that Turkey was risking its NATO membership and its participation in the F-35 program.
Cavusoglu said: “If F-35s are not delivered, I would be placed in a position to buy the planes I need elsewhere.” He added that a new US offer to sell Patriots was “more rational” than a previous offer but still didn’t meet Turkey’s expectations.
