Message on S-400 and F-16 from US Representative Issa
US Representative Darrell Issa, who held meetings with Hakan Fidan and Erdoğan during his Ankara visit, pointed to the UAE formula regarding the S-400 issue and defined F-16 modernization as a priority.
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US House of Representatives member Darrell Issa made statements regarding the S-400, F-35, and F-16 topics that stand out in Turkey-US relations following his contacts in Ankara.
Issa first met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in the capital, and was subsequently received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Beştepe. The US politician later attended a reception held at the US Embassy residence to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Speaking to Hürriyet, Issa stated that the S-400 issue had been discussed comprehensively between the parties and pointed to the talks held with the United Arab Emirates. Issa said, "We discussed this issue quite a lot. The main issue here is how this can be implemented. As you know, there were talks with the UAE. Perhaps this could be the best solution."
Evaluating the sanctions against Turkey, Issa argued that the approach in Washington has become clear. The US member stated, "A decision has already been made from the President down to the lowest level; there are no sanctions against Turkey."
Responding to a question regarding Turkey's return to the F-35 program, Issa recalled the heavy backlog of orders in the program. Stating that the priority at this stage is the modernization of the existing F-16 fleet, Issa assessed that "the modernization of the current aircraft is a high priority for both Turkey and the US."