The United States cannot allow Turkey to fly or help produce its F-35 stealth jets if Ankara goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian air defence system, America's envoy to NATO said on Tuesday.
"There will be a disassociation with the F-35 system, we cannot have the F-35 affected or destabilised by having this Russian system in the (NATO) alliance," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters.
Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have escalated in recent months with Turkey set to begin receiving the advanced S-400 Russian surface-to-air missile defense system, which Washington said will jeopardize Turkey's role in the F-35 program and could trigger sanctions.
Following protracted efforts to purchase an air defense system from the U.S. with no success, Ankara decided in 2017 to purchase the Russian S-400.
U.S. officials advised Turkey to buy the U.S. Patriot missile system rather than the S-400s from Moscow, arguing the Russian system would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose the F-35 to possible Russian subterfuge.
Turkey, however, emphasized the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
The country has urged formation of a commission to clarify any technical issues, but the U.S. has failed to respond to this proposal.
