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Turkey defies US as Russian S-400 missile defence arrives | Turkey defies US as Russian S-400 missile defence arrives |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Turkey has received the first parts of a Russian S-400 missile defence system despite opposition from the US. | Turkey has received the first parts of a Russian S-400 missile defence system despite opposition from the US. |
The shipment arrived in an airbase in the capital Ankara on Friday, the Turkish defence ministry says. | The shipment arrived in an airbase in the capital Ankara on Friday, the Turkish defence ministry says. |
The move will anger the US, which has warned that Turkey cannot have both the S-400 anti-aircraft defence system and US F-35 fighter jets. | The move will anger the US, which has warned that Turkey cannot have both the S-400 anti-aircraft defence system and US F-35 fighter jets. |
Turkey and the US are Nato allies - but Turkey has also been establishing closer links with Russia. | Turkey and the US are Nato allies - but Turkey has also been establishing closer links with Russia. |
A Nato official told the AFP news agency that the body was "concerned" about Turkey's acquisition. | |
What have both countries said? | |
Acting US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Friday that the US position had not changed. | |
Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee called the Turkish action "a troubling signal of strategic alignment with Putin's Russia". | |
Mr Esper spoke with his Turkish counterpart for 30 minutes but a planned Pentagon briefing in response to the moves by Turkey was called off. | |
The Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the two men had discussed the purchase of the S-400 missile system, but insisted that it did not mean a change of Turkey's strategic orientation. | |
Mr Akar said the pair also discussed a bid to acquire US Patriot air defence systems. | |
What's the argument about? | What's the argument about? |
Turkey has signed up to buying 100 US F-35 warplanes and has invested heavily in the F-35 programme. Turkish companies produce 937 of the plane's parts. | Turkey has signed up to buying 100 US F-35 warplanes and has invested heavily in the F-35 programme. Turkish companies produce 937 of the plane's parts. |
But Turkey has also pursued an increasingly independent defence policy amid strained ties with the US and Europe. It has purchased Russia's advanced S-400 air defence system for $2.5bn and sent members of its armed forces to Russia for training. | But Turkey has also pursued an increasingly independent defence policy amid strained ties with the US and Europe. It has purchased Russia's advanced S-400 air defence system for $2.5bn and sent members of its armed forces to Russia for training. |
US defence officials said the S-400 is incompatible with the wider Nato air-defence system in the region. | US defence officials said the S-400 is incompatible with the wider Nato air-defence system in the region. |
The officials said they did not want the F-35 jets to be near S-400 systems because they feared Russian technicians would be able to access the F-35's vulnerabilities. | The officials said they did not want the F-35 jets to be near S-400 systems because they feared Russian technicians would be able to access the F-35's vulnerabilities. |
The US warned that it would exclude Turkey from the F-35 programme if the S-400 deal went ahead, and warned that it could impose economic sanctions. | The US warned that it would exclude Turkey from the F-35 programme if the S-400 deal went ahead, and warned that it could impose economic sanctions. |
Turkey has argued that the two systems would be located in separate locations, and that the US was slow to offer an alternative missile defence shield. | Turkey has argued that the two systems would be located in separate locations, and that the US was slow to offer an alternative missile defence shield. |
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after a meeting with US President Donald Trump that he believes the US will not impose sanctions. | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after a meeting with US President Donald Trump that he believes the US will not impose sanctions. |
This looks set to prompt a major rift between Washington and one of its key Nato allies. For an alliance member to buy this kind of equipment from Russia is almost unprecedented. | This looks set to prompt a major rift between Washington and one of its key Nato allies. For an alliance member to buy this kind of equipment from Russia is almost unprecedented. |
The US has already halted deliveries of the aircraft to Turkey and suspended the training of Turkish pilots. | The US has already halted deliveries of the aircraft to Turkey and suspended the training of Turkish pilots. |
Plans are also under way to remove Turkey from the programme altogether. It manufactures part of the F-35 and is due to be a regional hub for maintenance of the aircraft. | Plans are also under way to remove Turkey from the programme altogether. It manufactures part of the F-35 and is due to be a regional hub for maintenance of the aircraft. |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to believe that, whatever the Pentagon may say, Donald Trump himself is less hostile to the purchase of the Russian missiles. | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to believe that, whatever the Pentagon may say, Donald Trump himself is less hostile to the purchase of the Russian missiles. |
A major test of ties between Ankara and Washington beckons. | A major test of ties between Ankara and Washington beckons. |
How important is Turkey? | How important is Turkey? |
Turkey has the second-largest army in Nato, a 29-member military alliance. | Turkey has the second-largest army in Nato, a 29-member military alliance. |
It is one of the US's key allies, and is located in a strategic position, sharing borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. | It is one of the US's key allies, and is located in a strategic position, sharing borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. |
It has also played an important role in the Syria conflict, providing arms and military support to some rebel groups. | It has also played an important role in the Syria conflict, providing arms and military support to some rebel groups. |
However, it has seen relations deteriorate with some Nato members and the EU, who have accused Mr Erdogan of adopting an increasingly authoritarian style following a failed coup in 2016. | However, it has seen relations deteriorate with some Nato members and the EU, who have accused Mr Erdogan of adopting an increasingly authoritarian style following a failed coup in 2016. |
How does the S-400 work? | How does the S-400 work? |