Turkey Is Finalizing Deal with Russia to Purchase Deadly S-400 Air Defense System

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Security, Europe

The missile defense deal presents potential challenges for NATO from an integration standpoint. 

NATO ally Turkey is in the midst of finalizing a deal with Russia to purchase the S-400 air defense system as tensions between the alliance and the Kremlin are reaching a fever pitch.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to discuss the S-400 contract during a visit to Sochi, Russia, on May 3, according to Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik.

“I suppose after Erdogan’s talks with Putin a joint decision will be made on further steps for purchasing Russia’s missile system,” said Isik, according t0 Turkey’s Anadolu news agency Monday.

Isik noted that the deal has reached a “final stage, but this does not mean the agreement will be signed tomorrow.”

(This first appeared on the Daily Caller Foundation’s site here.)

Turkey’s decision to go with the S-400 was supposedly the result of NATO’s failure to present a “financially effective” alternative offer, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.

“It is clear that Turkey needs a missile defense system,” said Isik. “Work on the S-400 has reached a final point. But the final stage does not mean ‘let’s sign a deal tomorrow morning’.”

The S-400 is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world. It is capable of shooting down both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Russia completed its installation of the missile system at its military base in Latakia, Syria, in October, providing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with a significant boost in air defense. China is also an S-400 client, while Iran has purchased the older S-300 model.