The United States and eight other countries have abolished the 2006 deal regarding the F-35 program and signed a new agreement that has prohibited Turkey.
Shortly after the statement was released, the Pentagon held a press conference to explain the process moving forward, with Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition Ellen Lord and Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy David Trachtenberg.
Washington sanctioned Turkey’s military acquisition agency in December over Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system despite previous warnings that such a system could be used to collect data on the US F-35 fighter jet.
Turkey also warned Biden earlier this week against becoming the first US president to recognize the Armenian genocide.
Doing so, Turkey’s foreign minister said, would further harm mutual ties.
READ MORE: Biden will officially become the first U.S. president to recognize atrocities against 1.5 million Armenians.
