Erdogan says he expects to discuss F-35 dispute with Biden | Al Jazeera

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expects to meet US President Joe Biden next week and take up Turkey’s removal from the US-led F-35 stealth fighter jet programme.

“Most likely we will have a meeting in Glasgow instead of Rome. Our most important issue will be the F-35,” Erdogan told reporters on his return from a trip to Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

The United States removed NATO ally Turkey from the international programme that produces the F-35 jets in 2019 over Ankara’s decision to buy Russia’s advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system. Washington has said the Russian system compromises the F-35s’ security.

Erdogan said his government is seeking to recover a $1.4bn payment the country made before it was expelled from the F-35 programme, and the US proposed selling F-16 fighters to Turkey to make up for the payment.

Erdogan and Biden will both be attending the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12.