Turkey’s control and preparation process for the Russian S-400 missile system is continuing as planned, the country’s defense minister said Wednesday.
US HAD REMOVED TURKEY FROM THE F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER PROGRAM
“The S-400 procurement process is being followed by taking into account the political, military, economic and technological dimensions,” Hulusi Akar told lawmakers during the 2021 budget debates in parliament.
The US officially removed Turkey from the F-35 joint strike fighter program in July 2019 over Ankara’s decision to purchase the advanced Russian air defense system.
Akar also criticized Greece’s position on the Eastern Mediterranean issue. “Greece is the country that wants to escalate tensions in the Mediterranean,” he said. “We, on the other hand, have continued to support the exploratory and confidence-building meetings and the additional meeting initiatives of the NATO Secretary General from the very beginning.” he added.