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Erdogan vows not to cancel S-400 deal with Russia despite likely sanctions

In 2016 Turkey and Russia held talks over a likely contract for the supply of S-400 air defense systems

© Vitaliy Nevar/TASS

ANKARA, March 6. /TASS/. Turkey will not cancel the contract for purchasing the air defense systems S-400 Triumf from Russia even despite the risk of sanctions that may be imposed by the United States, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"You’ve said nothing to Greece (in connection with the purchase of S-300 systems - TASS), but you said that you will not let Turkey acquire S-400. You claimed that the contact with Russia was a mistake. You also said that you might introduce sanctions. We are not going to be accountable to you. We will proceed along the right way without any concessions for the sake of achieving our own goals," Haber Turk TV quotes Erdogan as saying.

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In November 2016 it was announced that Turkey and Russia were in talks over a likely contract for the supply of S-400 air defense systems. Russia confirmed the conclusion of the contract on September 12, 2017. Erdogan declared that a certain prepayment had been made already. Turkey became the first NATO country that will get the S-400 systems from Russia. The number of systems to be supplied has not been disclosed officially.

On February 14, a military-diplomatic source told TASS Russia and Turkey were going to conclude a contract in 2020 for a second regimental set of S-400 Triumf. According to the source the contract contained some provisions for partial localization of production. Turkish companies will obtain Russian licenses to manufacture certain components that are "of no critical importance."

Russia’s federal service for military-technical cooperation has refrained from comment.

US President Donald Trump on August 2, 2017 signed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The act envisaged tighter sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea and cautioned US and foreign companies against concluding cooperation agreements or contracts with Russian manufacturers and agencies representing the defense and intelligence sectors.

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