The United States is set to boost its procurement of military-grade explosives from Turkey to bolster the production of artillery shells. This move comes in response to the depletion of its stockpiles due to the conflict in Ukraine, as per a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.
Western countries are facing challenges in providing sufficient munitions to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia. The increased worldwide demand for weapons components has hampered efforts by the US and its partners to manufacture additional artillery shells for Ukraine.
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According to Bloomberg’s report citing anonymous officials, the United States is currently relying on Turkey to replenish its munitions stockpiles. It also intends to procure Turkish-made propellants like trinitrotoluene and nitroguanidine to support its domestic defense manufacturing efforts.
The outlet contrasted the US approach to that of the EU. Members of the European bloc have “held back from using funds for purchases from Türkiye because of resistance from France, Greece and Cyprus,” the report noted.This policy stance has persisted despite member states falling short of their commitment to deliver one million 155mm shells to Ukraine by March.
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The United States has faced disagreements with Ankara, notably regarding its acquisition of Russian long-range air defense systems. This led former US President Donald Trump to remove Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.
However, recent developments indicate a potential improvement in US-Turkey relations. Bloomberg suggests that the collaboration on artillery shells would contribute to this positive trend. In January, Ankara’s approval for Sweden to join NATO paved the way for Washington to approve Turkey’s long-awaited purchase of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits. Despite opposition in the US Congress, including Senator Rand Paul’s concerns about Turkish conduct, the $23 billion deal proceeded in late February.
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Victoria Nuland, a senior US diplomat handling Ukraine affairs, expressed optimism about Turkey’s return to the F-35 program, contingent upon resolving the issue of Russian weapon systems. She mentioned this during an interview with CNN Türk in January, indicating a potential reconciliation between the two nations.
Moscow views the Ukraine conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia. It argues that Western weapon donations will only extend hostilities without altering the outcome. Unlike EU countries, Turkey has declined to sever economic relations with Russia.