NATO Secretary General calls on Turkey to find replacement for Russian S-400 missile sytems
NATO calls on Turkey to work together with the alliance to find a replacement for the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, stated NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a joint press conference in Ankara after a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
"We are concerned about the consequences of Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 systems. The systems can pose a risk to Allied aircraft and can lead to US sanctions," Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg added that despite Turkey's decision, the S-400 is incompatible with NATO's missile defense system. In this regard, the alliance calls on Ankara to cooperate with the allies to find an alternative.
Russia and Turkey signed a contract for the supply of S-400 systems in 2017. In the summer of 2019, the first components of the missile defense system were delivered to Turkey. In November 2019, Moscow transferred four S-400 divisions worth $2.5 billion to Ankara.
In November 2019, the spokesman of the Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin claimed that Ankara would not use the Russian S-400 missile defense system separately from NATO systems. According to him, Turkey does not consider the S-400s a threat to American F-35 fighter jets program.
In July, Republican and Democratic congressmen drafted a bill to impose sanctions on Turkey over the purchase of the S-400 missile defense system.