A multibillion-dollar sum previously transferred by Ankara, intended to pay for the contract for the purchase of American F-35 stealth fighters, was blocked due to the acquisition of the S-400 Triumph air defense system from Russia.
Economic sanctions were even imposed on Turkey, demanding that this contract be abandoned.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to save the money already paid by offering to buy older equipment. We are talking about the 4th generation F-16 fighters. However, this deal will not take place either.
The US Congress decided to block this contract, which was notified to President Joe Biden. American congressmen said that Ankara's current activities are directed against the national interests of the United States. In addition, Washington is not satisfied with the possible confrontation between Turkey and Greece, as well as the military operation against its Kurdish allies in Syria.
In turn, the Turkish side said that if the United States refuses this deal, Ankara will buy Su-35 and Su-57 fighters from Russia. However, this contract with Moscow is unlikely, since Turkey is a member of NATO, which threatens to leak secret technologies, and also provides assistance to anti-government forces in Syria.
Meanwhile, Ankara does not officially comment on the current situation.
Free News believes that all this has become a big problem for Erdogan, since the main NATO ally literally "threw" him for money, which now there is simply nowhere to take because of the deep economic crisis in Turkey.