New York Times: The United States has suggested that Turkey send Russian S-400s to Ukraine

Russia’s war against Ukraine has led to a general international imbalance, with the US-Turkey relationship one of the areas for change, the New York Times reported.

More specifically, according to the American newspaper, US officials have expressed the idea that the Turkish government should provide Ukraine with an advanced Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system. It is the Russian-made system itself that led the Americans to punish Turkey – Washington’s NATO ally – with sanctions in the defense sector because Ankara bought it from Moscow a few years ago.

Now, US diplomats see a way to get Turkey off track with its partnership with Russia and provide the Ukrainians with one of the most powerful long-range anti-aircraft systems in the world.

The proposal for Turkey to supply Ukraine with Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems would also test what Vladimir Putin is willing to accept from NATO – and how willing a US ally in NATO has been to build bridges in recent years. Moscow reaffirms its commitment to the alliance and its support for Ukraine, the NYTimes stress.

The idea came to light when Wendy Sherman, the US Deputy Secretary of State, visited Turkey two weeks ago. Ms. Sherman declined to comment on her contacts there.

Another senior US official said the United States knew the proposal would anger Mr Blitz. Putin. Ukraine is already using Turkish-made drones, but Turkey worries that the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft systems could make the country angry with Russia.

Profits

At the same time, however, the gains for Turkey could be significant: the Trump administration had suspended Ankara’s participation in the F-35 fighter program – in which Ankara was both a buyer and a manufacturer of advanced aircraft components – after the purchase of Russian S-400s, the New York Times reports.

An agreement on the deployment of anti-aircraft systems in Ukraine could open the door for Turkey’s reintegration into the F-35 program, the American newspaper emphasizes.

The State Department declined to comment on the report. Officials at the Turkish embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Source: Capital

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