Akar

Turkey's top military brass and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar held a security meeting on July 25 and discussed a potential military operation into northeastern Syria, immediately after three-day long talks with a senior American delegation over setting up a safe zone along the Turkish-Syrian border.

The US administration has been silent, so far, on the delivery of the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft  missile system to Turkey. The opposite is true for Congress, where there has been bipartisan condemnation and demands for sanctions.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his U.S. counterpart talked by phone late on July 12 about issues related to Turkey's acquisition of a long-range missile defense system and recent developments in Syria.

Greek and Turkish defense ministers Evangelos Apostolakis and Hulusi Akar embrace during Wednesday's NATO summit in Brussels. The two men met on the sidelines of the summit amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Turkey's actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.

By George Gilson

Acting US Defense Secretary Mark Esper is making it clear to Turkey that it will face economic sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

Esper met with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Wednesday during a NATO meeting. Officials say there was no progress in the stand-off between the two allies.

Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis explained Athens' opposition to Turkey's drilling plans off Cyprus during a meeting with Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar on the sidelines of talks between NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Wednesday.

Turkey said on Tuesday a US warning that Ankara would be removed from Washington's F-35 fighter jet program unless it drops a planned purchase of a Russian air defense system was out of keeping with the spirit of NATO partnership.

U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar remain in contact about Ankara's plans to buy a Russian air defense system, and may meet during NATO meetings in Brussels next week, NATO's commander told Reuters.

Turkey Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had a phone call with U. S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, following the latter's letter announcing Washington's decision to cease Turkish participation in the F-35 aircraft project.