The United States has halted all F-35 aircraft shipments to Turkey, announced the Pentagon on Monday, due to the latter planning to acquire a Russian missile-defense system.
“Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey’s F-35 operational capability have been suspended while our dialogue on this important matter continues with Turkey,” said the U.S. Department of Defense, according to CNN.
Reuters first reported the development, citing sources familiar with the situation.
The U.S. announcement comes as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will visit Washington, D.C., this week for a NATO summit. Turkey and the United States are NATO members.
The two countries have been at odds with one another regarding the ongoing situation in Syria, as well as U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Turkey is also demanding that America extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.
