As Turkey moves forward with the controversial purchase of Russia's most sophisticated and advanced air defense systems, some State Department and Department of Defense officials are privately blaming President Donald Trump for failing to issue a tough ultimatum over the proposed sale, sources with
For months, senior officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, have warned Turkey against choosing a Russian missile system that it is incompatible with the NATO defense systems. They expressed concerns that Turkey, a NATO ally, would purchase a Russian system over the U.S.-made Patriot system.
But during a Feb. 22 call between the two leaders, Erdogan pushed back against Trump's threat of sanctions, suggesting Congress was infringing on the president's executive power by issuing sanctions against Turkey over the deal, according to three U.S. officials briefed on the conversation. The president's response"wasn't framed so that Erdogan saw what was at stake," said another official about the call.The White House did not respond to ABC News' requests for comment.
The S-400 is capable of shooting down aircraft, drones and cruise missiles with a range up to 250 miles.“I'm not suggesting that Turkey can't be trusted, but I am saying that you take another risk with your system -- with what is probably our most sensitive technology," said Gen Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO Supreme Allied Commander and the head of U.S. European Command.
"Different statements are coming from different institutions of the United States as well ... different and contradictory statements are coming," Çavuşoğlu said at an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of NATO in Washington on Wednesday. "That's why we had to buy from Russia," he said last week."And we tried to buy from other allies as well. It didn't work. So it is an urgent need of Turkey. I mean, we need air defense systems urgently in Turkey."
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