Report: US asked Turkey to hand over S-400s to Ukraine
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The US has informally asked Turkey to hand over its S-400 surface to air missile systems to Ukraine, Reuters reported, citing "sources familiar with the matter."
The request was made in the talks between officials from Ankara and Washington in February, according to the report. It was also brought up during US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman's visit to Turkey earlier this month.
Turkey's purchase of the missiles from Russia has caused problems with the US over the past four years, with Washington imposing sanctions on Ankara.
While Turkey's Foreign Ministry had not responded to a request for comment, "sources and analysts" from Turkey said it was unlikely that Ankara would accept such a demand, Reuters reported.
The US has also asked its other allies possessing arms made by Russia to hand over them to Ukraine amid the country's invasion, according to the agency.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24, has drawn international condemnation and led to financial restrictions on Moscow.
At least 780 civilians have been killed and 1,252 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to the UN, which has said that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the true number.
Arousnd 3.2 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN refugee agency.
The S-400 row between Turkey and the USLater, the ownership of two more planes was given to Turkey but none of them have been delivered to the country due to its purchase of the S-400 missile systems from Russia. Turkey signed the S-400 agreement with Russia in April 2017 and received the first batch of equipment in July 2019, after which the US announced Turkey's suspension from the F-35 program. The US announced in April 2019 that it had suspended the delivery of equipment associated with the F-35 project to Turkey. At the end of July 2019, Turkey's pilots trained for the F-25 program returned to the country. In late 2019, then US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Turkey must choose between the F-35s and the S-400s. As part of its 2020 defense budget, the US decided to buy the six planes owned by Turkey. The US found new supplies for the 1,005 different parts that were produced by Turkey-based companies. Turkey confirmed in October 2020 that it tested the S-400 systems but hasn't activated them yet. In December, the US announced sanctions on Turkey's arms purchasing agency. |
(HA/VK)