Erdogan says Turkey will recoup money paid to U.S. for F-35 jets

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint news conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Nigeria October 20, 2021. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -President Tayyip Erdogan said he believed Turkey and the United States will make progress in talks for the sale of F-16 fighter jets and that Ankara will recoup $1.4 billion it paid for F-35s it is blocked from buying, Anadolu agency reported on Thursday.

Erdogan said at the weekend that the United States had offered to sell Turkey the F-16s in return for Ankara's downpayment on the more advanced F-35s, which Washington blocked after Turkey bought Russian missile defences.