Ankara: Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan has now signed a deal to build nuclear reactors after buying the S-400 missile system from Russia. On Wednesday, he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a nuclear reactor during an online event with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This reactor will be built at the Akkuyu power plant in Turkey with the help of technology from Russia. It is believed that this new deal may increase the ongoing tension between the US and Turkey, a NATO ally.
Talks on strengthening mutual relations in Russia-Turkey
During the foundation stone of this reactor, Erdogan and Putin also discussed increasing cooperation between Turkey and Russia. Erdogan said that through this reactor, Turkey will come under the list of nuclear-rich countries. He also called it a symbol of Turkish-Russia cooperation. Russia is building Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in the province of Marcin. The two countries had signed the Treaty of Cooperation in the year 2010 and construction work started on it in 2018.
Turkey’s power generation is based on gas and hydroelectric plants. It is dependent on its imports to meet its power requirement. Turkey buys natural gas from Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and other countries. Erdogan said that the first furnace of the plant will be commissioned in 2023.
Why is America upset with Turkey
The United States announced several new sanctions on Turkey last year over the purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia. The US fears that Turkey is reconnaissance Russia’s F-16 fighter jets through this state-of-the-art system. This may threaten America’s strategic interests and the US military or US weapons deployed in the area. This deal will provide money to Russia’s defense industry, so that it can rapidly develop new types of weapons.
America exits Turkey from F-35 program
The US had pulled out of its F-35 fighter aircraft program, raising strong objections to NATO member Turkey buying Russia’s anti-aircraft system. The US had said that the S-400 system is a threat to stealth fighters and cannot be used with the NATO system. The US also warned to ban Turkey for this. Turkey said it had bought the S-400 missile defense system from Russia after the US refused to sell the US Patriot system.
America is afraid of this thing
The arms market in the US is worth trillions of dollars. It is also said that the American arms lobby is so active that it can change the President even if he wants to. In such a situation, if it is proved that Russian weapons are advanced than the US, then this lobby will suffer heavy losses. Most countries in the world have an F-16 fighter plane from the US. In such a situation, America would not want to face defeat at the hands of Russia.
Turkey reconnaissance of F-16 aircraft with S-400 radar
A few days ago, there were reports that the Turkish army has activated Russia’s S-400 defense system. The Turkish force is using the radar of this Russian defense system to detect F-16 fighter jets. Through this radar, it is trying to track the F-16 ships of France, Italy, Greece and Cyprus involved in NATO’s Unumia Military Exercise.
