Erdogan Says Turkey Will Take Care Of Itself If It Doesn't Get US F-16 Fighter Jets

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2022) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country will take care of itself if it does not get F-16 fighter jets from the United States.

The US earlier sent an official notice to Turkey about its exclusion from the program for the supply of advanced F-35 fighter jets due to Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. Washington canceled the joint memorandum on the F-35 with Turkey, signing it with the seven remaining partners in the F-35 project - the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, Canada and Norway. Erdogan subsequently said the US invited Ankara to buy other fighters, but of the fourth generation - F-16. The issue is to be agreed in the US Congress - the State Department is lobbying for it, convincing congressmen that the deal is in Washington's interest.

"We have spoken to the Republicans, and we have received the support of the Republicans. If we can't get the results out of the United States about the F-16s, what are we going to do? Of course, we're going to take care of our own selves," Erdogan said in an interview with PBS, according to the translation on its website.