Turkey-Russia Relations: Erdogan goes forward with arms purchase, defying US threats

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Europe

02:15

A show of friendship from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The pair met on Monday, despite increasing U.S. concerns about the relationship. Washington has put intense pressure on Turkey to drop its plan to buy a Russian missile defense system. But as Dan Ashby reports from Moscow, the deal appears poised to go forward.

It was a summit to bolster trade and ties, but Russia already has a deal that's worth smiling about. Turkey has bought the Russian-made S-400 air defense system - the first NATO country to do so. And President Putin says that is just the start.

VLADIMIR PUTIN RUSSIAN PRESIDENT "The volume of our cooperation in the sphere of international relations is quite large. Our military-technical cooperation is developing as well. There is a great number of issues that we are going to discuss and resolve."

Washington fears the S-400 deal is dangerous for NATO, and so it has stopped supplying Turkey with equipment for its orders of new U.S. F-35 fighter jets.

Erdogan was bullish: saying nobody could undermine Turkey's sovereignty. But some say Turkey is just searching for the best deal.

ALEXEY KHLEBNIKOV RUSSIAN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL "It shouldn't be perceived as a game-changer, or Turkey coming more into Russia's orbit of influence. That's completely unrealistic. Turkey is trying to maintain working and constructive relations with both sides, and trying to get the best offers and deals for itself."

The two countries promised to continue working together in Syria, and aim to quadruple trade to one hundred billion dollars. And the S-400 might be the first of many military deals.

DAN ASHBY MOSCOW "Despite all the U.S.'s warnings to Turkey about buying a Russian air defense system, President Putin reiterated on Monday that the deal is going ahead. And while the U.S. continues to be Turkey's most important ally, Ankara's message from this meeting is that it's not willing to turn its back on Russia. Dan Ashby, CGTN, Moscow."