Turkey, Russia Likely To Discuss S-400 systems Purchase In March

Turkey is likely to discuss the purchase of Russia’s advanced S-400 antiaircraft missile systems at a session of the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council, held in March.

"The talks are continuing on the S-400. The defense industry’s secretariat and the president are receiving information about that. We are closely watching the negotiations.” spokesman for the Turkish president Ibrahim Kalin said on Wednesday.

“Of course, this theme will be raised at the level of the leaders," he said in a broadcast of TRT TV Channel.

Kalin, however, admitted that "in the context of negotiations on this issue, there are a lot of technical issues" and it requires a detailed discussion.

Even though there are possibilities of contradictions with NATO that may arise in the case of purchasing S-400 missile systems from Russia, the Turkish president’s spokesman said that he "does not see in this regard any problems or negative aspects."

"Besides, there are examples when some NATO countries are using these systems. We know about them. The issue of compatibility is easily solved at the technical level," he was quoted as saying by TASS Monday.

It was reported earlier that a session of the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council would be held in Russia in March this year.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his visit to Russia in March, also intends to discuss the pace of normalizing bilateral relations, the cancellation of Russia’s trade sanctions imposed after a Russian fighter jet had been downed by the Turkish Air Force over Syria in late 2015, the Syria issue and anti-terror measures, Kalin said.