Erdogan Accuses the U.S.

Turkey's defense industry sanctions by the United States undermine Ankara's trust in Washington as an ally within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This was stated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Anadolu Agency.

"The restrictive measures imposed by our ally Washington on Turkey's defense industry negatively affect our trust in the U.S.," noted the Turkish leader. He added that the sanctions established under the U.S. CAATSA law and the withdrawal of Ankara from the F-35 fighter jet program are "inconsistent with the spirit of NATO."

The Cumhuriyet newspaper, citing its sources, reported on August 28 that Turkey has decided to abandon Russian S-400 missile systems in order to purchase American F-16 fighter jets. It is believed that these aircraft are necessary for Turkey amid the deterioration of relations with Greece.