What Turkey’s purchase of a Russian air defense system means for the U.S. and NATO
Last week, the United States removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program after Russia began delivering its S-400 missile defense system to Turkey. This move is significant since Turkey produces parts for the jet and was due to receive at least 22 of the U.S. jets by 2022.
The weapons deal with Russia, valued at $2.5 billion, has been in the works since 2017. A White House spokesperson said that “accepting the S-400 undermines the commitments all NATO allies made to each other to move away from Russian systems.”
The disagreement over arms sales belies a deeper political conflict between Turkey — a longtime NATO member — and the broader NATO alliance.… Seguir leyendo »