Turkey not to abandon purchase of Russian S-400, Erdogan says

By  Trend

Ankara will not refuse from purchasing the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said May 14.

Erdogan noted that despite the fact that Turkey is a member of the NATO Alliance, Washington refused to sell US-made SAM to Turkey.

"The United States deprived Turkey of a choice, and Ankara was forced to start negotiations with Moscow to purchase the S-400," Erdogan said.

The head of state said, national interests are most important for Turkey.

In December 2017 in Ankara, Russian and Turkish representatives signed a loan agreement for the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. Turkey will pay for part of this deal on its own, and the other part will be paid for at the expense of the Russian Federation's defense loan.

Ismail Demir, Deputy Head of the Turkish Defense Industry Secretariat, told reporters, that S-400 deliveries were transferred to an earlier date than it was stipulated by the contract, to July 2019.