Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also believes that two US military posts could be closed due to possible US sanctions. "If necessary", the US air base Incirlik and the US radar station Kürecik could be closed, Erdogan said in an interview with the station A Haber.
In particular, if "measures such as sanctions" against Turkey come into force, the answer will be given, Erdogan said. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu had previously indicated that if sanctions were imposed, Turkey could block the United States' access to the bases.
US senators are demanding punitive measures against Turkey for buying the Russian S-400 missile defense system in the summer. The US government fears, among other things, that Russia could obtain data on the capabilities of the US F-35 from the weapon system radar.
Ankara was a partner in the construction of the fighter jet and wanted to buy numerous aircraft. The United States excluded Turkey from the F-35 program because of the deal with Moscow. So far, however, there have been no sanctions.
Erdogan angered by recognition of Armenian genocide
The relationship between the NATO partners is also tense because, according to the House of Representatives, the US Senate has also recognized the massacres of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. A corresponding resolution was passed on Thursday. Erdogan said in the interview that it was a political decision that was unacceptable.
Erdogan also announced further support from the Libyan government around Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. Erdogan had already received al-Sarraj in late November, signing a controversial maritime border agreement and a military cooperation deal.
In Libya, the powerful General Chalifa is fighting with his Libyan National Army (LNA) against the United Nations government, al-Sarraj. The LNA dominates large parts of the east and south of the country, according to the United Nations, with the help of Russia, has recently moved ever further towards the capital Tripoli.
