Any country needs great leadership and Turkish President Erdogan has great capability, within a short span of time, Turkey’s economy, education, defence and military system has been much improved, because of the leadership of Erdogan. More details are here in this story.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara would have to decide its defence systems on its own. It would consider buying a second Russian missile system in defiance of strong objections by the United States, said the Turkish President.
Erdogan explained that Turkey wasn’t given the option to buy American-made Patriot missiles and the US hadn’t delivered F-35 stealth jets despite payment of $1.4 billion.
NATO member Turkey was left out of the F-35 program and defence officials were sanctioned after it bought the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system.
The US objects to the use of Russian systems within NATO and says it poses a threat to the F-35s.
Turkey maintains the S-400s could be used independently without being integrated into NATO systems and therefore poses no risk.
The US has also sanctioned Turkey in 2020 for its purchase under a 2017 law aimed at pushing back Russian influence. The move was the first time that the law, known as CAATSA, was used to penalize a US ally.
Erdogan has remained defiant. “Of course, of course, yes,” Erdogan said after stating Turkey would make its own defence choices, in response to Brennan’s question on whether Turkey would buy more S-400s.
The issue is one of several sticking points in Turkish-American relations that also include US support for PKK- YPG terror group, and the continued US residency of a Fetullah Gulen accused of plotting the failed coup attempt in 2016.
Erdogan is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 29.