Former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Michael Rubin, stated that the White House has returned to discussing the resumption of Turkey's participation in the F-35 program. However, Ankara has not yet decided what to do with the Russian S-400 SAM systems. This is reported by the Greek publication Kathimerini.
Sources stated that Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander, as well as Special Advisor to the President Michael Carpenter, discussed the resumption of the F-35 deal during their visit to Turkey on July 1. They asked Ankara to transfer the S-400s to the United States or move them to a sector controlled by the American military at Incirlik Air Base.
Discussions are expected to continue this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
