The United States once again called on Turkey to abandon the advanced Russian S-400 system, which Washington considers a threat to its own security.
According to DefenseNews, the issue of differences was raised during a conversation between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels.
"We once again told them that Turkey has already bought the S-400 and that the issue is closed," Cavusoglu told Turkish journalists after the conversation.
The publication notes that this statement of the Turkish Foreign Minister was made despite the US pressure on Ankara. Cavusoglu also told Blinken that his country plans to provide air defense, including with the help of complexes of the United States and NATO allies.
In turn, the US State Department said in a statement that "Blinken called on Turkey not to keep the Russian S-400 air defense system."
Recall that considering the S-400 complex a threat to NATO and the American F-35 fighter program, Washington imposed a number of sanctions on Turkey.
Ankara claims that the Russian system does not threaten NATO, and has repeatedly called for dialogue to solve the problem. The US insists that the sanctions will not be lifted as long as Turkey owns the S-400 complex.
Timur Alimov
