Senior MP: Turkey to have no trouble with S-400 deal

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey will have no trouble in implementing a deal with Russia to purchase S-400 missile systems, the head of Turkey's Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee said on Tuesday.

Meeting Russian Ambassador Aleksey Yerhov in the capital Ankara, Volkan Bozkir underlined that the S-400 deal had been made in order to ensure Turkey's security.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have reached a fever pitch in recent months with Turkey set to begin receiving the advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia.

Washington maintains the move will jeopardize Turkey's role in the F-35 fighter jet program and could trigger congressional sanctions.

Turkey decided in 2017 to purchase the S-400s following protracted efforts to purchase air defense systems from the U.S. with no success.

Yerhov, for his part, referred to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks that the S-400 deal was done and "being implemented".

"I think the Turkish press and public should trust Turkey's president when he makes such clear and explicit statements", he said.