(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Baku, Azerbaijan, June 20
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Ankara doesn't believe that the US will launch sanctions against Turkey, due to purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,Trendreports referring to the Turkish media on June 20.
Despite that the US is categorically against that Ankara buy Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, no one in Washington has yet offered Ankara the available options for purchasing the Patriot system, he noted.
'Ankara and Moscow have already agreed on the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, and Turkey will receive the first complexes in the first half of July," said Erdogan.
'Ankara doesn't intend to obey the demands of the US,' he added.
Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the US and NATO specialists may visit Turkey and make sure that the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems do not pose a threat to NATO.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey may receive the S-400 missile systems in July 2019, which is earlier than scheduled. He stressed that despite appeals from the US, Turkey will not abandon the purchase of the S-400.
Initial reports of negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the supply of S-400 appeared in November 2016. The signing of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on September 12, 2017.
Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the S-400 air defense systems would be deployed from October 2019.
Turkey is the first NATO member state to receive the S-400 air defense systems from Russia.
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