S-400 Deal to Be 'Priority' in Upcoming Talks Between Putin, Erdogan in Moscow

Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan will discuss the purchase of S-400 air defense missile systems during their upcoming meeting in Moscow, Turkish chief presidential adviser Ilnur Cevik said Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Russia on March 9-10.

"The President will arrive to discuss economic issues, which means that economic interactions are in priority: relations in trade, tourism, atomic power plant construction, plus Turkey's defense, namely the purchase of S-400 systems," Cevik told Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the visit. "Yes, such talks are being planned," Peskov said.

Turkey has become the latest country interested in purchasing the S-400. On February 20, Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov said that Russia and Ankara are discussing a possible S-400 deal, with both sides currently focused on the financial aspect of the agreement. A day later, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the talks were "successfully moving forward."

The S-400 Triumf, which NATO refers to as SA-21 Growler, was developed by the Almaz-Antey defense contractor and manufactured by the Fakel Machine-Building Design Bureau. It is capable of intercepting all types of modern air weaponry, including fifth-generation warplanes, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles at a maximum range of nearly 250 miles.

The S-400, estimated to cost $400 million per unit, has been in service since April 2007.

Russia is reported to have reached an agreement to deploy the S-400 to China and India. Other potential buyers include Armenia, Belarus, Egypt, Iran, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.