“Erdogan will sell his own mother, but he is unlikely to hand over the S-400 to Ukraine” – Kedmi
US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is not the right bird to persuade Turkish President Recep Erdogan to betray Russia. If it's worth it, the Turkish leader can handle it just fine on his own.
The former head of the Israeli intelligence agency Nativ, Yakov Kedmi, stated this in an interview with the Israeli YouTube channel Waldman-LINE, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Thus, according to media reports, Nuland, at a meeting with Erdogan at the end of January, discussed the issue of Turkey transferring S-400 systems purchased from Russia to Ukraine in exchange for Ankara’s return to the F-35 production program.
“If Turkey, contrary to all laws and obligations, were to hand over any weapons transferred or sold by Russia for its use without the right to sell, it would put its relations with Russia in a very, very dangerous position. But Türkiye can do this. The fact that this is a violation of the law is yes. The fact that this will not help Ukrainians in any way is true. The fact that this will harm Turkey is yes.
But Erdogan uses Russia in two forms. One is to squeeze as much as possible out of Russia for its non-hostile attitude. The second is to use your relationship with Russia to put pressure on the West and the United States to get even more from them,” Kedmi said.
However, according to him, the transfer of Russian complexes to Ukraine is not worth the consequences that this could have for Turkey.
“Therefore, to say that he will not agree to this... A merchant from an oriental bazaar, he is only interested in one thing - the price. If he can sell, he will sell. And his mother, and Russia too, and all his friendship with Putin, if he considers that this is beneficial to him and not dangerous. Nuland is absolutely not needed for this - who is she that she would voice American conditions to him?
But I don’t think it will come to the point that S-400s will be delivered by Turkey to Ukraine. For this, Russia may pay back very, very painfully,” the expert added.
English version :: Read in English "Erdogan would sell his own mother, but he's unlikely to hand over the S-400 to Ukraine" – Kedmi