US Sanctions, President Erdogan Says Turkey Will Continue To Buy Russian S-400 Missiles400

Joe Biden and Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting in 2014. (Wikimedia Commons/Office of US Vice President)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would not change his stance regarding the purchase of Russian-made S-400 missiles, despite the United States' sanctions.

President Erdogan said this during a meeting with US President Joe Biden last Monday, where the two met, discussing Syria issues to the purchase of S-400 missiles.

The purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missiles, strained Ankara's relations with the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), underscoring the incompatibility with the alliance's defense systems, threatening US F-35 fighter jets, resulting in Turkey being excluded from the fighter jet program.

"I told (Preside Biden), they should not expect Turkey to take a different step on the F-35 and S-400 issue, because we did what we had to do for the F-35 and gave the necessary money," Erdogan told journalists on a flight home from Azerbaijan.

"We must monitor its developments closely. We will follow up on all our rights. In the next period, our foreign ministers, defense ministers and heads of defense industry will advance this process by meeting their (US) counterparts," President Erdogan said.

Russian-made S-400 Triumf missile defense system. (Wikimedia Commons)

Ankara and Washington have sought to put their differences aside and focus on areas of cooperation, such as Afghanistan and Syria, although Turkey is angry about US support for the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, which it considers a terrorist group.

Erdogan said he conveyed Turkey's views on the issue at his meeting with Biden, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Previously, Turkey also offered to maintain and operate Kabul airport after US and NATO forces withdrew. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday Turkey would play a key role.

Meanwhile, related to the Taliban's request that Turkey also withdraw its troops from Afghanistan as well as reject the Kabul Airport proposal, and refuse participation in the peace conference in Afghanistan held by Turkey. President Erdogan said he would continue talks with the Taliban and continue with the airport proposal.