Turkey to Sign Deal for Russian S-400 Missiles, RIA Reports

(Bloomberg) -- Turkey is in the final stages of negotiating a new deal for an advanced Russian air defense system, RIA Novosti reported Monday, citing Russia’s state-run arms exporter. 

A new contract for S-400 Triumph missiles will be signed soon, Rosoboronexport head Alexander Mikheyev said at a briefing, according to the report. 

A senior Turkish official declined to confirm RIA’s report.

The U.S. strongly opposes NATO ally Turkey’s purchase of the missile system, which Washington says could be used to collect intelligence on the stealth capabilities of the F-35 fighter jet that Turkey has helped to build and wants to purchase.

Turkey received its first deliveries of the S-400 in 2019 and has refused to scrap the program, despite U.S. sanctions. President Joe Biden and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the issue on the sidelines of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in June but failed to reach a resolution. 

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