Erdogan: US not 'acting honestly' with Turkey, ties at low point

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey's ties with the United States are not healthy and that Washington needed to "sort out" issues over Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems, according to broadcaster Haberturk.

"I cannot say that a healthy process is running in Turkish-American ties ... We bought F-35s, we paid $1.4 billion and these F-35s were not given to us. The United States needs to first sort this out," Haberturk quoted Erdogan as telling reporters on Thursday after attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

The two countries should work together as friends but "the current direction does not bode well", Erdogan said, adding he and US President Joe Biden had not "started off right". 

"I've worked well with Bush junior, I've worked well with Mr Obama, I've worked well with Mr Trump, but I can't say we started well with Mr Biden."

Erdogan said that "Biden has started to supply terror groups [PKK/YPG] with weapons, vehicles, and equipment."

"US hasn't acted honestly and isn't acting honestly."

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Ties at low point

Ties between the NATO allies struck a low point earlier this year when Washington sanctioned Turkey's defence industry over the S-400s. 

It has also expelled Ankara from its F-35 jet programme, where it was a buyer and manufacturer.

Erdogan said Ankara would meet its defence needs from elsewhere if Washington did not help.

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