Tass

Russia is ready to sign a new contract on the delivery of S-400 air defense missile systems to Ankara, if Turkish partners express such a desire, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Wednesday.

“They have such an option and we will sign the deal, if they express the desire,” the vice premier said.

Russia announced in September 2017 that it had signed a $2.5 billion deal with Turkey on the delivery of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ankara. Under the contract, Ankara received a regiment set of S-400 air defense missile systems (two battalions). The deal also envisages partial transfer of production technology to the Turkish side.

Turkey is the first NATO member state to purchase such air defense missile systems from Russia. The deliveries of S-400 launchers to Turkey began on July 12, 2019.

Turkey’s decision to acquire the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems has caused an outcry from the United States and NATO as a whole. The United States is not abandoning its attempts to make Turkey give up the Russian air defense systems.

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