U.S. Asks Turkey to Send S-400s to Ukraine, Ankara Refuses

Turkey has rejected United States’ proposal to send Russia-produced S-400 missile systems to battle-ravaged Ukraine.

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkish Foreign Minister, said the U.S. has submitted various S-400 proposals to Turkey.

“They made proposals that directly relate to our sovereignty, like giving us control over it, providing it elsewhere. Where are our independence and sovereignty?” Çavuşoğlu said.

He added that he refused U.S.’ request to send S-400s to Russia’s rival.

“The U.S. asked if Turkey would send S-400 to Ukraine, and we said no,” he added.

Turkey signed a contract with the Russian Federation to purchase S-400 systems worth $2.5 billion back in 2017.

Two years later, Ankara received components of the Russian system and integrated them into its air defense. It tested S-400’s capabilities on military aircraft purchased earlier from the United States.

In December 2020, the U.S. imposed sanctions against Turkey for buying Russian weapons and removed it from the F-35 Lightning II project.

Turkey has repeatedly stressed that the S-400s would not be integrated into NATO systems and pose no threat to the alliance or its armaments. Ankara has repeatedly proposed a commission to clarify the issue.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) also excludes any possibility of integrating Russian S-400 systems into its air defense.