Turkey's Erdogan to discuss F-35 jets with Biden in Glasgow

Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, said sanctions and problems over the F-35 jet programme will be the main topic at his meeting with US President, Joe Biden, at a summit in Glasgow starting at the end of this month, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Washington removed Turkey from the F-35 Lightning II jet program in 2019, arguing that S-400 air missile systems acquired by Turkey could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the Lockheed Martin F-35 jets and is 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.

According to the statement, Erdogan has said Washington offered Ankara a package of F-16 jets and modernization kits in exchange for the payment, but the United States has said it offered no such financial plan.

“The information we received is that there is a payment plan of some sort with them,” state-run Anadolu news agency cited him as telling reporters on a flight from Azerbaijan.

“Whether this is true or not, we will find out from them. It will be good for me to discuss this with Mr. Biden at the highest level. If so, we will go for a deal in that regard.”

READ: US to buy F35 jets intended for Turkey