The Ministry of National Defense of Turkey on Friday announced the beginning of the supply of Russian anti-aircraft missile systems S-400. The agreement between Ankara and Moscow was previously heavily criticized in Washington: US authorities warned that if the deal was implemented, Turkey could refuse to supply more than a hundred F-35 fighters totaling $ 10 billion, as well as impose other “impressive sanctions.” The Turkish opposition, meanwhile, accused the country’s leadership of conducting an “inconsistent foreign policy.”
“As part of the contract, the delivery of the first batch of S-400 components to the S-400 airbase was carried out at Murted airbase in the province of Ankara,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement released Friday. Deliveries began today, July 12, and will continue in the coming days. In total, it will be about four anti-aircraft missile systems.
The negotiations between Moscow and Ankara on the supply of S-400 became known in November 2016. September 12, 2017 in Moscow confirmed the fact of the transaction in the amount of $ 2.5 billion. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar earlier noted that the deployment of the C-400 will begin in October 2019.
The deal was heavily criticized by the United States: Washington pointed to the impossibility of integrating Russian air defense systems into NATO systems. In the spring, the administration of President Donald Trump warned the Turkish authorities that the country could face “real and very negative consequences” if it nevertheless decides to buy C-400 from Russia. “These consequences may include the refusal of Turkey’s participation in the material and technical supply of the F-35 program, as well as additional sanctions that will be impressive and effective,” said a representative of the US Foreign Ministry Morgan Ortagas.
Plans can be buried and supplies to Turkey more than a hundred F-35. In addition, the American media reported that the Ancara law can be used to counter US opponents through sanctions (CAATSA), the same law that already imposed restrictive measures against Russia.
One way or another, the Turkish authorities refused to make concessions. Last Thursday, a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Omer Сelik, on NTV, called the supply of C-400 systems necessary to ensure the national security of the country. At the same time, he criticized the Turkish opposition, which opposed the deal. So, earlier, deputy chairman of the opposition Republican People’s Party (NPP) Veli Agbaba said: Turkey leads a “inconsistent foreign policy”, and because of this it remains “one of the most reckless countries in the region.”
“Turkey is guided by its national interests, as the current political leadership of the country sees them,” said Yuri Mavashev, director of the Center for the Study of the New Turkey, told Kommersant. Washington is not in the most convenient position, considering that multi-vector relations with Turkey were built at various levels, including the public one ”. At the same time, the Kommersant interlocutor assumes that “in the presidential administration, the United States will try not to bring up to the next sanctions, since they are capable of finally turning the republic to another direction”.
