Moscow Appreciates Ankara's Stand on S-400, Maintains Contact to Boost Defence Cooperation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow appreciates Turkey's position on the purchase of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems and sees significant potential for boosting defence cooperation with Ankara, as relevant departments are already in contact on this issue, Russian Foreign Ministry's Fourth European Department Director Yuri Pilipson said.

"We register with satisfaction the progressive expansion of the Russian-Turkish partnership on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. Defence cooperation is no exception. Implementation of joint projects, primarily the supply of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile system to Ankara in 2019 shows our countries' determination to comprehensively strengthen cooperation in this area. We see a significant potential for this," Pilipson said.

"We appreciate the position of our Turkish partners who are acting in accordance with the national tasks of ensuring defense capability despite overt external pressure," Pilipson stressed.

Asked about the timing of Ankara's purchase of the second S-400 regiment, the diplomat explained that "relevant departments are in contact on further development of our defence cooperation."

"Let the experts work with peace of mind, there is no need to hurry," Pilipson concluded.

The decision by Turkey, a NATO member, to purchase the Russian-made S-400 air defence systems triggered a crisis in relations between the two allies in 2019, when the first batch, negotiated in 2017, was delivered to the country. Despite the US authorities' repeated demands to abandon the deal and ensuing sanctions, Turkey refused to make concessions and has continued negotiating additional shipments of the Russian weapons.