Turkey Says US Should Change Decision On F-35 Deal Or Return Investments

Ankara is demanding that Washington either change its decision on the F-35 fighter supply program or return the money paid, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2022) Ankara is demanding that Washington either change its decision on the F-35 fighter supply program or return the money paid, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

"As for the F-35, Congress needs to reconsider its decision. We say either change the decision or return the money we invested," Cavusoglu told Turkish news agency Anadolu.

In 2019, the US suspended Turkey's participation in its F-35 program over Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system and later completely removed it from the project.

Despite harsh backlash from the US and NATO over the purchase, Turkey has insisted that it will continue to use the S-400s.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later announced that the US suggested that Ankara procure the fourth generation of the F-16 fighter jets instead of the fifth generation F-35s. The US Congress has yet to approve the deal while the US State Department is lobbying for it, convincing congressmen that it will "serve Washington's interests." On the other hand, US' ally Greece has been insisting that Washington drops the deal with Turkey.