Erdogan asked Putin to take back S-400 air defence system in order to improve relations with US, - Bloomberg
Turkey wants to return the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems it purchased from Russia nearly ten years ago. This move would end a controversial deal that has strained its relations with the US and other NATO members.
This was reported by Bloomberg, according to Censor.NET.
Meeting between Putin and Erdogan
It is noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue of the S-400 during a meeting with Putin in Turkmenistan last week. This came after similar discussions that took place earlier between officials from the two countries, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Turkish president and the Ministry of Defense declined to comment to the agency. The Kremlin denied that such a proposal was made during the meeting between the two leaders.
The issue of Turkey's possession of missiles and its desire to rejoin the F-35 program was raised during Erdogan's meeting with Donald Trump at the White House in September.
Tom Barrack, a close associate of the US president who is ambassador to Turkey, said earlier this month that Ankara was close to abandoning the S-400 and predicted that the issue could be resolved within the next four to six months.
Relations between Turkey and the United States
The agency writes that such a move would also potentially allow Ankara to purchase American F-35 fighter jets, which it has long sought to acquire.
Also, ditching Russian military gear could really help relations with the US, paving the way for the US to drop sanctions on Turkey's defense industry.
- Turkey acquired the S-400 during a period of tense relations with its NATO allies, which began during Barack Obama's presidency in the US and deepened after the failed coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016.
- At that time, Turkey also attempted to purchase American Patriot missiles, but claimed that Washington was unwilling to conclude a deal. This disappointment became part of Ankara's justification for turning to Moscow and purchasing the S-400.
