Turkey continues to negotiate with Russia over possible deliveries of the second batch of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems (SAMs), Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday.
"It would be problematic for Ankara to refuse to buy Russian S-400 air defense systems. We expect that the disagreement with the US on this topic can be resolved through dialogue," he was quoted as saying by A Haber TV channel. - "Turkey continues negotiations with Russia on the purchase of a second S-400."
Akar also noted that the S-400 will not have any specific deployment in Turkey. According to him, the systems can be relocated in case of such a need.
On January 11, Ismail Demir, head of Turkey's Defense Industry Authority (DIA), said that the S-400s delivered to the republic were ready for commissioning.
Deliveries of Russia's latest S-400 air defense systems, which caused a crisis in Turkey's relations with the United States, began in mid-July 2019. Washington demanded to refuse the deal and buy American Patriot systems in return, threatening to delay or cancel the sale of the latest F-35 fighter jets to Turkey altogether, as well as impose sanctions under CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
Ankara refused to make concessions and continued negotiations on an additional batch of S-400s. According to Russian Foreign Ministry official representative Maria Zakharova, the US sanctions against Turkey over the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems demonstrate once again Washington's inability to compete fairly.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: EPA / MAXIM SHIPENKOV / TASS
Based on materials from TASS, RIA Novosti