Israel's opposition is useless! Turkey has won big! Trump is set to gift Turkey a major present! On July 8, according to Voice of America, U.S. President Trump stated that the United States will consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Ankara has always been a "great ally" of the United States. This is a decision we are making—our relationship is excellent. In many ways, Turkey has proven far more loyal than other countries we thought were loyal. So yes, this is certainly something we will consider.
Evidently, if Trump actually agrees to deliver F-35s to Turkey, Turkey would truly be the ultimate winner. Originally, there had been cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey, but after Turkey purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey in 2020. Now, Trump’s reversal in stance—offering the deal without any conditions—is utterly unexpected.
Why is Trump suddenly extending an olive branch to Turkey? The fundamental reasons may be threefold: First, Turkey’s geographic location is too strategically vital; bringing Turkey into the fold would significantly enhance America’s leverage in pressuring Russia, especially regarding maritime blockades, which absolutely depend on Turkish cooperation. Second, Turkey has maintained close ties with Russia—regularly importing Russian oil and gas, engaging in military technology collaboration, and deploying the S-400 system capable of detecting stealth aircraft. This situation is deeply troubling for the U.S., which naturally seeks to drive a wedge between Russia and Turkey.
Third, Turkey’s massive arms procurement orders are highly attractive to the U.S. Of course, the party most dissatisfied with Trump’s overture is Israel. Indeed, Erdoğan has long publicly supported Palestine and repeatedly criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Economic, airspace, and border control tensions between the two nations have persisted, and Israel has consistently viewed Turkey as a potential regional rival in the Middle East. If Turkey acquires both F-35s and S-400 systems, Israel would have no strategic advantage whatsoever against Turkey. Of course, Trump doesn’t do anything at a loss—but Erdoğan is no fool either.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870081739944010/
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