Turkey to Discuss New Russian Missiles This Month, Erdogan Says
Turkey to Discuss New Russian Missiles This Month, Erdogan Says
(Bloomberg) -- Turkey won’t accept guidance from NATO allies on how to manage its defense industry and will hold talks with Russia this month about purchasing a second S-400 missile battery, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Turkey has been negotiating technology transfer and local production for a potential purchase of a second batch of the Russian missile-defense system, Erdogan said. Turkey acquired the first system from Moscow in 2019 after dropping talks for a comparable U.S. Patriot system because of Washington’s refusal to share technology.
The purchase alarmed NATO allies, who said the Russian system could be used to gather intelligence on Western capabilities, particularly the F-35 stealth fighter jet. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey’s defense industry and suspended it from the program to help build Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35.
“No country can determine the steps we’ll take in the defense industry,” Erdogan told reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul, chiding the U.S. for sanctions and for not delivering the F-35s earmarked for Ankara. “We’ve concluded the first S-400 package. Talks on the second package are underway. We will have talks with Russia at the end of January.”
Still, Erdogan said he hoped Turkey and the U.S. could overcome rifts and “put things back on track” after Joe Biden begins his presidency on Jan. 20. But Congress has pushed to make it more difficult for Turkey to receive waivers from penalties unless it gets rid of the Russian weaponry. Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar ruled that out earlier this week.
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