Turkey says idea to send its S-400s to Ukraine 'quite unrealistic’
Washington argues that the S-400 air missile systems could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the F-35 jets and that they are incompatible with NATO systems
Turkey has rejected the idea of sending its Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems to Ukraine to help it fight the invading Russian forces.
“Though quite unrealistic today, this idea presents an opportunity to discuss the problems Turkey has experienced lately with the West,” Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said Wednesday in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, Qazet.az reports.
Reports over the recent week floated that the United States informally raised with Turkey the unlikely possibility of transferring the S-400s to Ukraine as it tries to fend off the Russian invasion that began on Feb. 24.
Altun also cited an article published last week that suggested that the transfer would lead to a betterment of the relationship between Washington and Ankara.
Ismail Demir, head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), on Wednesday also said Turkey does not plan to abandon the S-400 systems, which have been a point of long-standing contention between the two NATO allies.
According to him, Turkey “is capable of determining its own policy.”
“This is not a subject of discussion for us. We addressed the issue in the past. Abandoning (the use of S-400) is out of the question,” Demir told Russia-based Izvestia newspaper.
Ankara had initially ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, made by Lockheed Martin Corp., but the U.S. removed Turkey from the program in 2019 after it acquired S-400 systems.
Turkey has called the move unjust and demanded reimbursement for its $1.4 billion (TL 20.7 billion) payment.
Turkey’s purchase of the S-400s also triggered U.S. sanctions. In December 2020, Washington blacklisted SSB's Demir, and three other employees.
Washington argues that the S-400 air missile systems could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the F-35 jets and that they are incompatible with NATO systems.
Turkey, however, insists that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
Altun criticized the U.S. accounts of Ankara’s decision to buy the air missile defense systems, saying they omit that Ankara was the first to approach the U.S. for the procurement of the Patriot system.
“Given that Turkey is in one of the world’s most dangerous and unstable regions, and the threats Turkey faced did not magically disappear with Washington’s rejection, Ankara had to look for alternatives,” said Altun, recalling that former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the matter during his presidency.
“Turkey did not have the choice to buy the Patriot,” he said.