Erdoğan responds to F-35 question: 'It is clear which waters he is swimming in'

Addressing the F-35 debate currently on the agenda, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded to a question regarding the opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis toward the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. In his assessment of the two leaders' statements, Erdoğan delivered messages directed at both Israel and Greece.

"THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NO PLACE IN MY WORLD"

President Erdoğan was asked whether the statements by Netanyahu and Mitsotakis, indicating they do not want F-35s sold to Turkey, would negatively affect the process.

Erdoğan gave the following response to this question:

"Neither statement has any place in my world. Because it is clear which waters Netanyahu is swimming in. Mitsotakis should not have fallen into such an error."

"WE HAVE NEVER QUESTIONED GREECE'S DEFENSE PURCHASES"

President Erdoğan stated that Turkey has never questioned Greece's choices in the field of defense to date, and touched upon the relations between the two countries.

Expressing that no criticism has been directed from Turkey toward the defense purchases made by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's country, Erdoğan made the following assessment:

"Have we ever expressed a thought like, 'Why did you buy these?' or 'Why are you buying these?' regarding the defense equipment Mr. Mitsotakis has acquired for Greece? No."

"THEY CAN BUY OR SELL"

Reminding that Greece is Turkey's neighbor, Erdoğan stated that Ankara has not adopted any interventionist stance on this matter to date.

President Erdoğan concluded his statement with these words:

"Yet, they are our next-door neighbor. We could have had the opportunity to say such things. But there is no need. They can buy or sell."

News Source: 12punto