Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has noted that the United States cannot fulfil Ankara's two basic conditions for acquiring Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, of providing credit and joint production.
“Joint production, providing a loan and early delivery are criteria that we attach importance to. Although they [the United States] are positive for early delivery, they can't promise to provide credit and joint production”, Erdogan told reporters, as quoted by the Hurriyet Daily News media outlet.
The Turkish president also reaffirmed his country's commitment to purchase Russian-made S-400 Triumph (NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler) air defence systems.
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“We have made the S-400 deal with Russia. Therefore, a step back is out of the question. This is over… We are working for the deployment of S-400s in July as promised”, the Turkish president noted.
According to Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, the possible Patriot purchase will not affect the Ankara-Moscow agreement on the purchase of the S-400 systems.
Operations Against Militants in Idlib
Turkey, Russia, and Iran may conduct joint military operations against militants in the rebel-controlled Syrian province of Idlib, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on 16 February.
“Joint operations can be held at any time in line with the…
