Will Egypt heed US threat of sanctions for Russian jet deal?
A $2 billion arms deal between Russia and Egypt has caused the United States to warn Egypt against acquiring Russia’s Su-35 fighter jets, raising questions about whether Egypt will carry on with the deal.
CAIRO — Despite threats of US sanctions, Egypt reportedly will obtain two Russian Su-35 fighter jets in early 2020 as part of a $2 billion deal it signed earlier this year; it will receive more of the planes in batches.
Expert Magazine, a Russian weekly business publication, reported Nov. 21 that delivery of the first pair of jets is expected at the beginning of next year. The contract includes an estimated two dozen more.
In the meantime, Washington is seeking to thwart the deal. R. Clarke Cooper, US State Department assistant secretary in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, told the press Nov. 18 at the Dubai Airshow that the purchase could result in Cairo being placed under sanctions and prevented from making future military purchases from the United States.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper warned Egypt on Nov. 14 against buying the Su-35s. The Wall Street Journal reported that they delivered to Egypt warning messages that “major new arms deals with Russia would — at a minimum — complicate future US defense transactions with and security assistance to Egypt.” The US officials warned that “Egypt risked sanctions under a US law barring purchases of Russian military equipment.”
