Russia will sell S-400 missiles to Turkey: the issue is closed
Turkey is buying S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, this issue is closed, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
This statement was made on Tuesday by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on the local television channel NTV.
“We are buying S-400 systems from Russia, this issue is closed,” he said.
Çavuşoğlu stressed that the republic does not intend to “refuse this deal, despite the decision of the US Senate” to deprive the US Secretary of Defense of the opportunity to approve the supply of American weapons to Turkey without providing a special report regarding Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems.
On June 14, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli also called the US demand to abandon the acquisition of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia blackmail. According to the head of the Ministry of Defense, Turkey “fulfills all its obligations” and expects “timely deliveries of F-35 fighters” from the United States. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on May 25 that the country could take action against the United States if Washington refuses to supply F-35s to Ankara.
Earlier it became known that the Senate of the US Congress adopted a bill on the Pentagon budget for the 2019 fiscal year, which deprives the Secretary of Defense of the opportunity to approve the supply of American weapons to Turkey without providing a special report regarding Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. This decision calls into question the transfer of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
According to explanatory materials to the Senate version of the draft defense budget, an amendment to ban the sale of F-35A to Ankara was included in it due to the fact that Turkish authorities had previously detained the American priest Andrew Brunson. In addition, the text will likely include a call on the US administration to impose sanctions against Turkey in the event of the purchase of the S-400. The final wording will be developed after both chambers agree on their versions.
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