The White House and the U.S. Department of Defense announced today (17 July) that Turkey will be removed from the F35 Program due to the procurement of S-400 air and missile defense system.

This unilateral step contradicts with the spirit of alliance and does not rely on any legitimate justification.

It is not fair to remove Turkey, a main partner, from the F-35 Program and also the claim that S-400 system would jeopardize the F-35s is baseless.

The fact that our proposal to form a working group with the participation of NATO on this issue has been left unanswered, is the most obvious evidence of the prejudice on the U.S. side and the lack of will to resolve the issue in good faith.

The U.S. should display commitment to its friendship with Turkey not only in rhetoric, but through action and particularly in the fight against DEASH, PKK/PYD/YPG and FETÖ terrorist organizations.

It is of great importance to maintain the understanding reached at the meeting between President Erdoğan and President Trump in Osaka, held in the margins of the G20 Summit.

We call upon the United States to return from this mistake that will cause irreparable wounds in our strategic relations.