Turkey's State Department issued a statement regarding the United States had removed Turkey from the F-35 program over purchasing Russian S-400 defense missile.

The White House and the U.S. Department of Defense announced on 17 July that Turkey will be removed from the F35 Program due to the procurement of S-400 air and missile defense system.

Stating that it is not fair to remove Turkey, a main partner, from the F-35 Program, Turkish Foreign Minister noted that the claim that the S-400 system would jeopardize the F-35s is baseless.

"The fact that our proposal to form a working group with the participation of NATO on this issue has been left unanswered is the most obvious evidence of the prejudice on the U.S. side and the lack of will to resolve the issue in good faith," the statement read.

Asking that the U.S. should display a commitment to its friendship with Turkey not only in rhetoric, the statement underlined that it should be through action and particularly in the fight against DEASH, PKK/PYD/YPG, and FETÖ terrorist organizations.

"It is of great importance to maintain the understanding reached in the meeting between President Erdoğan and President Trump in Osaka, held in the margins of the G20 Summit."

At the end of the statement, the ministry called upon the United States to return from this mistake that will cause irreparable wounds in our strategic relations. (ILKHA)