Turkey to receive F-35 jets sooner or later: Erdogan

By Etem Geylan and Hülya Corakci Ertan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey will get American F-35 fighter jets sooner or later, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday.

"Sooner or later, we will receive the delivery of the F-35s, their equipment, and S-400s, too, will come to our country," Erdogan said in Istanbul, where he met with young people.

"There is absolutely no question of stepping back on the S-400 issue. It's a done deal," Erdogan added.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have reached a fever pitch in recent months with Turkey set to begin receiving the advanced S-400 Russian surface-to-air missile system that Washington said will jeopardize Turkey's role in the F-35 fighter jet program and which could trigger congressional sanctions.

Turkey decided in 2017 to purchase the S-400 system following protracted efforts to purchase air defense systems from the U.S. with no success.

*Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez