Turkish FM: S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems not threat to NATO

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 27

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Russian anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) S-400 do not pose a threat to NATO, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Trend reports citing Turkish media.

According to Cavusoglu, NATO and the US are aware that Turkey is in dire need of protecting its airspace. To do this, the country buys Russian S-400 systems, as Washington refused to sell US air defense systems to the Turkish army.

The foreign minister noted that Turkey once again offers the US to create a commission to test the S-400.

Ankara does not intend to comply with the requirements of the US to abandon Russian air defense systems, Cavusoglu added.

Earlier, Mevlut Cavusoglu said that specialists from the US and NATO could arrive in Turkey and make sure that the Russian S-400 air defense systems do not pose a threat to NATO.

Turkey begins testing the operation of the S-400 air defense systems' radars acquired from the Russian Federation, for which F-16 fighters and other aircraft will be raised into the air.

The first reports of negotiations between the Russian Federation and Turkey on the supply of S-400 appeared in November 2016. The fact of the conclusion of the contract was confirmed by the Russian side on Sept. 12, 2017.

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