Turkish president dismisses Menendez warning over F-16 sale
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday dismissed a warning by US Senator Robert Menendez, also chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to block the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey unless Ankara halts its campaign of aggression across the region, saying that the Democrat from New Jersey was only expressing his personal opinion and not the consensus in Washington.
Speaking to reporters on a return flight from Azerbaijan, Erdogan said that “Menendez’s objection alone cannot stop” the sale of the Lockheed Martin-made jets. He said that the final decision lies with Congress, describing the current mood as “positive.”
Erdogan said that his government was prepared to consider other options if the US is unable to fulfil its promise to provide the F-16 aircraft.
“America is not our only option. When the need arises, we also discuss alternatives outside the US, just like we did the S-400s,” he said of the air defense system purchased from Russia.
