Erdogan's Spokesman Tells Bolton Ankara Uneasy Over US Cutting Turkey Out Of F-35 Program

Turkey's presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, expressed "unease" on Thursday during a phone conversation with US National Security Adviser John Bolton over Washington's decision to remove Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet program

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2019) Turkey's presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, expressed "unease" on Thursday during a phone conversation with US National Security Adviser John Bolton over Washington's decision to remove Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet program.

On Wednesday, the United States said Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense systems had made it impossible to keep Ankara in the F-35 fighter jet program. Washington subsequently said it was working to unwind its relationship with Turkey in the F-35 program. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called the move a unilateral step that might bring irreparable damage to bilateral relations.

"During our phone conversation, [Turkey's] reaction [of unease] to the [US] decision was relayed. This decision [to remove Turkey from the F-35 program] goes against what the presidents of both countries previously agreed to," Kalin said in a statement.

The spokesman added that going forward, the execution of unilateral decisions by one country, such as this one, would prevent Turkey-US relations from developing in a positive manner.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish Foreign Ministry called the US move to unwind Ankara's involvement in the F-35 fighter jet international program a unilateral step which might bring irreparable damage to bilateral relations.

Russia and Turkey signed an agreement for the delivery of four S-400 batteries in December 2017. The deliveries started earlier in July.

However, the United States and NATO have repeatedly voiced concerns about the deal. Particularly, Washington has argued that the systems would compromise the F-35 project.