Akar

The language used in a letter sent from Washington to Ankara regarding Turkey's removal from the F-35 fighter jet program does not suit the spirit of alliance, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday.

U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on June 11 he will discuss Washington's spat with Ankara over its purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar on June 12.   

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on June 5 vowed to destroy all shelters used by the illegal PKK group in Hakurk in northern Iraq and clear the region of terrorists.

Referring to the presence "once in a while" of his country's ships in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has reportedly said he hopes that war will not break out in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The United States is seriously considering suspending training for Turkish pilots on advanced F-35 fighter jets as Ankara moves ahead with plans to purchase a Russian missile defense system despite objections from Washington, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has accused Cyprus and Greece of "provocative attacks" and "irresponsible statements" on the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis said on Thursday that ongoing talks between Greek and Turkish military delegations in Athens are solely focused on confidence-building measures between the two countries and remarks that they are anything beyond that are "out of touch with reality."

Despite the fact that ongoing talks between Greek and Turkish military officials in Athens are ostensibly focused on finding ways to revive confidence-building measures, Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday that he has instructed his country's delegation to place all the differences dividing Athens and Ankara in the Aegean, Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean "on the table."

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he sees an improvement in talks with the United States over the purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems and US F-35 fighter jets, but added that Ankara was also preparing for potential US sanctions.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he sees an improvement in talks with the United States over the purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems and U.S. F-35 fighter jets.