US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack made an ironic but revealing statement astir 1 of the astir delicate issues successful relationships Washington And Ankara — Turkey’s information successful the programme F-35.
Speaking astatine the forum successful Antalya, the diplomat noted with a smile that helium would not remark connected the topic successful item Greek-Turkish relationsbecause “he whitethorn beryllium banned from going to Mykonos again”.
Despite the humorous form, Barrack made it wide that the occupation with the Russian S-400 systems tin beryllium solved successful the adjacent future. According to him, from the US constituent of view, information successful the F-35 programme remains for Turkey acceptable scenario.
Context and signals
Let us callback that it is the acquisition by Turkey Russian S-400 aerial defence systems led to its exclusion from the F-35 programme and a crisp deterioration successful relations with the United States.
US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack: “I think you’re going to spot this S-400 situation solved soon. Acceptance into an F-35 programme is fine. Greece has S-300s and F-35s.” pic.twitter.com/II6yT4WodY
— World Vibe (@world_vibe_en) April 17, 2026
At the aforesaid time, Barrack specifically emphasized that Greece already has some systems S-300and by F-35 aircraft, which makes the situation successful the portion adjacent much delicate from the constituent of view of the equilibrium of power.
Diplomacy with subtext
Formally, the diplomat avoided nonstop assessments, but his words tin beryllium considered arsenic a awesome of a imaginable reboot of relations betwixt the US and Turkey successful the tract of defense.
In this context, the gag astir Mykonos looks not conscionable humor, but a neat way to debar a nonstop answer connected an contented that remains 1 of the astir arguable successful the region.
Thus, down the slight irony lies a superior question: Is Washington acceptable to compromise with Ankara and instrumentality it to the F-35 programme without upsetting the equilibrium successful relations with Greece.
Editorial comment
The ironic statement of the American diplomat lone emphasizes however The F-35 contented remains delicate and multi-layered successful a triangle USA – Türkiye – Greece. In such situations, wit is astir often used arsenic a tool for avoiding nonstop languagewhen immoderate unambiguous reply tin origin governmental consequences.
It is important to understand: the existent treatment goes acold beyond the scope of the topic S-400. We’re talking astir redistribution of trust within NATO and redefining the relation Turkey successful the confederation information system.
In caller years Greece managed to execute superior tactical success, strengthening its presumption successful Washington and taking vantage of the situation to strengthen its ain information successful the F-35 program. However, such decisions are seldom final: the geopolitical discourse is changing faster than governmental agreements are being consolidated.
Today it becomes evident that the contented of Turkey returning to 1 signifier oregon different of practice is being discussed again not due to the fact that the erstwhile arguments person changed, but due to the fact that US priorities. Türkiye remains a cardinal subordinate successful the region, and its implicit exclusion from defence projects is perceived successful Washington arsenic long term risk.
In this sense, the situation for Athens does not look similar an outright failure, but similar time-limited successwhich begins to erode under the unit of caller realities. The equilibrium reached respective years agone is gradually being revised – not due to the fact that of mistakes connected either side, but due to the fact that changes successful the wide configuration of forces.
That is why such topics stay successful the zone of hints and cautious formulations: the terms of immoderate nonstop statement that could upset the already fragile equilibrium successful the portion is too high.
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English (US) ·