High US diplomat Antony Blinken pushes Turkey over Russian missiles

High US diplomat Antony Blinken on Wednesday pressed Turkey‘s international minister over a Russian air defence system and Ankara’s withdrawal from a treaty on violence in opposition to ladies.

“Secretary Blinken urged Turkey to not retain the Russian S-400 air defence system,” the State Division mentioned, after talks on the sidelines of a NATO assembly in Brussels.

Blinken “expressed concern over Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Conference on Stopping and Combating Violence Towards Ladies and Home Violence, and emphasised the significance of democratic establishments and respect for human rights”.

Washington has lengthy criticised NATO ally Turkey’s buy of the superior S-400 air defence system from rival Russia, arguing it threatens the alliance’s defences.

Former US chief Donald Trump in December imposed sanctions on Ankara’s army procurement company over the acquisition.

Turkey has additionally drawn widespread criticism for its determination, introduced Saturday, to tug out of the Istanbul Conference, the most recent victory for conservatives in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist occasion.

The administration of President Joe Biden remains to be formulating its total coverage on Turkey — however insists that it sees the nation as a key ally.

“It is no secret that we now have variations with Turkey,” Blinken mentioned on the two-day NATO assembly on Tuesday.

“It is also no secret that Turkey is a long-standing and valued ally, and one which I imagine we now have a powerful curiosity in retaining anchored to NATO.”