President of Turkey, Recep Erdogan, has disclosed the discussion he had with US President, Donald Trump, over the purchase of a Russian missile defence.
Erdogan revealed that he made it clear to Trump that he was not dropping the deal.
“It is out of the question that we abandon the S-400 and turn to the Patriot,” Erdogan told reporters on his flight home from Washington.
State news agency Anadolu quoted him as saying: “We said we can buy Patriots. We regard the proposal to drop the S-400 completely while we buy Patriots as interference in our sovereign rights.”
The American government is not favourably disposed to the purchase, saying it posed a threat to its F-35 stealth fighter jet.
Although, Turkey was suspended from the U.S.-led F-35 manufacturing programme this year, Erdogan stated: “I don’t want to create an enemy. I want both America and Russia to be my friends.”
