All preliminary measures for the delivery of Russian S-400
missile defense systems to Turkey are complete, the head of Russia’s arms
export company Rosoboronexport said on June 26.
Russia received payment for the air defense missiles,
manufactured the hardware and completed the training of the Turkish military
personnel who would operate them, Alexander Mikheev said in an interview with
Russian news agency Interfax.
He confirmed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s
announcement on June 25 that delivery would begin in July.
Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have reached a fever
pitch in recent months with Turkey set to begin receiving the advanced S-400
Russian surface-to-air missile system that Washington said will jeopardize
Turkey’s role in the F-35 fighter jet program and which could trigger
congressional sanctions.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu defied the United States’
sanction threats over Turkey’s purchase of Russian made S-400 missile defense
systems, underlining that other international partners of the F-35 project have
been annoyed by Washington’s decision to respond by halting training of Turkish
pilots.
“No matter what sanctions decision, no matter which
statement comes from the U.S., we have already bought the S-400s,” Çavuşoğlu
told reporters at a joint press meeting with his Rwandese counterpart Dr.
Richard Sezibera on June 24. “Now we are talking about when the S-400s will be
delivered to Turkey. It is not possible for us to give up on the purchase of
the S-400.”
Recalling recent U.S. steps to remove Turkey from the F-35
fighter jet program, Çavuşoğlu said the two issues are incompatible and other
partners in the F-35 program do not support the U.S. steps.
“All decisions should be taken by consensus,” the minister
said, reiterating that Turkey is also a partner in the program and has made
large contributions. Turkey is one of nine nations led by the United States
that carries out the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project along with the United
Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.
Former acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan has
informed his Turkish counterpart that Turkey’s participation in the F-35
program will cease on July 31 if Turkey deploys Russian S-400s on its soils.
“These kinds of steps taken by the U.S. are not compatible
with the partnership agreement or the law,” Çavuşoğlu said, adding that
Washington failed to agree with any of Turkey’s proposals to resolve the
dispute.
Çavuşoğlu also underlined that there is no guarantee of NATO
protection in the event of an attack on Turkey, and the capacity of the
alliance covers only 30 percent of Turkish air space at the moment.
Furthermore, he said, NATO allies, especially the United States, Germany and
the Netherlands; have withdrawn their Patriot missiles from along the Turkish
border.
The top diplomat also thanked Italy and Spain for extending
their air defense system deployment, adding that these extensions helped Turkey
to defend its aerial domain.
“There is no guarantee that we can purchase Patriots
tomorrow if we want to,” Çavuşoğlu said, elaborating on the ongoing talks with
the United States for procurement of the American air defense system.
“We need to address our own needs. We would have liked to
buy [air defense systems] from our allies,” he said, adding that U.S. President
Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will discuss the
matter.
“Trump understands the issue quite well, yet as always,
different opinions rise from the U.S.,” he said.
Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent
months, with Turkey set to begin receiving the advanced S-400 Russian
surface-to-air missile defense system, which Washington said will jeopardize
Turkey’s role in the F-35 program and could trigger sanctions.
U.S. officials advised Turkey to buy the U.S. Patriot
missile system rather than the S-400s from Moscow, arguing the Russian system
would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose the F-35 to possible Russian
subterfuge.
Turkey, however, emphasized that the S-400 would not be
integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
Turkey has urged the formation of a commission to clarify any technical issues,
but the United States has failed to respond to its proposal.
Turkey made the decision in 2017 to purchase the S-400
system following protracted efforts to purchase air defense missiles from the
U.S. with no success.
