SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Russia and Turkey are close to signing a new contract to supply Ankara with additional S-400 air defense units in the near future, the Interfax news agency cited the head of Russia’s Rosoboronexport arms exporter as saying on Monday, according to Reuters.
Turkey’s initial purchase of S-400s from Russia strained ties with the United States and its NATO allies.
Washington sanctioned Ankara and has threatened to impose new sanctions if it buys more major arms systems from Moscow.
Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to NATO’s broader defense systems.
Turkey rejects this, saying S-400s will not be integrated into NATO and purchasing them was a necessity as it was unable to procure air defense systems from any NATO ally on satisfactory terms.
U.S.-Turkish relations have been strained over issues ranging from Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems to policy differences on Syria, human rights and a U.S. court case targeting Turkey’s majority state-owned Halkbank.
