Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Turkey: Deployment of Russian S-400 Defenses Will Happen Despite Delay

Russian S-300 anti-missile rocket systems move along a central street during a rehearsal for a military parade in Moscow May 4, 2009. REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin

Turkey's planned deployment of Russian S-400 missile defenses has been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak but will ultimately go ahead, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Thursday.

"There has been a delay because of the coronavirus but it will move forward as it was planned," Ibrahim Kalin told an online meeting hosted by the Atlantic Council.

He said Erdogan had told US President Donald Trump several times that he was also interested in purchasing Patriot missiles.

The United States has said that Turkey risks US sanctions if it deploys the Russian-made S-400s.

Washington has offered to sell Turkey its Patriot missile defense system if Ankara promises not to operate the rival Russian system, Erdogan said last month.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.