U.S. VP Pence warns Turkey against buying Russian air defenses

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Europe

00:39

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey on Wednesday against buying a Russian S-400 anti-missile system, keeping up the pressure on its NATO ally to abandon the purchase.

"Turkey must choose. Does it want to remain a critical partner in the most successful military alliance in history or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making such reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?" Pence said in remarks at a NATO event in Washington.

Representatives from NATO member states gathered in the U.S. capital to celebrate the organization's 70th anniversary from April 3 to 4.

Pence's stark warning comes as Washington and Ankara remain at loggerheads over Turkey's plan to buy the air defense system from Russia, which Washington believes would compromise the security of its F-35 fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin.

Turkey struck back promptly, with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay issuing his own warning on Twitter: "The United States must choose. Does it want to remain Turkey's ally or risk our friendship by joining forces with terrorists to undermine its NATO ally's defense against its enemies?"

Washington has warned that proceeding with the deal could result in U.S. sanctions and the exclusion of Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program. The United States this week halted delivery of equipment related to the stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey.

A pair of RAF F-35B Lightning stealth jets over the English Channel during Operation Point Blank, which featured aerial capabilities from the British RAF, United States Air Force and French Air Force, November 27, 2018. /VCG Photo

"We've also made it clear that we will not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries that threaten the cohesion of our alliance," Pence said.

Earlier Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey has proposed to the United States that they form a working group to determine that Russian S-400 missile defense systems do not pose a threat to U.S. or NATO military equipment.

"It will not be integrated into the NATO system... therefore we propose the United States to establish a technical working group to make sure that this system will not be a threat – neither to (U.S.) F-35s nor the NATO systems," Cavusoglu told a panel in the United States.

On Wednesday, Pence also criticized Germany, saying the ally's level of defense spending and work with Russia on a gas pipeline were "simply unacceptable."

"Germany must do more. And we cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on Russia."

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced annoyance that Germany is not on track to meet a goal set by NATO in 2014 of each member spending two percent of GDP on defense.

The U.S. is also unhappy with Germany's cooperation with Russia on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that will double the capacity of the current route.

The construction site of the new European Gas Pipeline Link pipeline near Lubmin, northeastern Germany, close to the planned landing point for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline carrying gas from Russia to Europe, March 26, 2019. /VCG Photo

Germany, which opposes nuclear power, is eager for the added energy.

It has also responded to the U.S. threat of sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 project by saying sanctions would be the wrong way to solve the dispute.

(With inputs from Reuters, AFP)

(Top image: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (R) shakes hands with Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 3, 2019. /VCG Photo)