Moscow and Ankara are discussing the possibility of producing some S-400 parts in Turkey, the head of Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev, announced.
"Now we are negotiating to continue our cooperation on this issue, including the organisation of licensed production of certain component parts of the system in Turkey", he said.
Mikheev further stressed that the S-400 contract has strengthened the cooperation between the two states, which will continue in various spheres, such as helicopter construction, combat aviation, and air defence.
The discussions are taking place just days after Russia finished shipping the first batch of S-400 air defence systems to Turkey under a contract that was signed back in December 2017. The US initially pressured Ankara to drop the deal, but then asked it to stop short of making the systems operational, but Turkey has rejected the American calls, despite Washington's threats.
The US has threatened to impose sanctions against the country and suspended deliveries of F-35 jets to Turkey. Washington has cited the alleged incompatibility of the S-400s with NATO defence systems and their threat to the fifth-generation F-35 jet as the cause of its concern. Turkey has suggested establishing a working group with the US to iron out their differences on the matter, but Washington has ignored the offer.
