Moscow is counting on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a smooth conclusion to the S-400 missile system purchase, the Russian ambassador to Turkey has said, downplaying recent US statements against the agreement.
“What I can tell you is that some declarations were made on this particular issue by President Erdoğan. I think we should trust him, we should listen to him. When President Erdoğan tells me something, I trust him, so you can follow suit,” Ambassador Alexei Yerhov told the Hürriyet newspaper in response to a question on the S-400 agreement in an interview on Thursday.
The US announced on April 1 that it would be suspending all “deliveries and activities” related to Turkey’s procurement of the F-35 stealth fighter jet over Ankara’s plans to purchase the S-400 system, but before and after the statement Turkey repeatedly called the agreement with Russia a “done deal” and said it would not step back.
On Wednesday Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told reporters in Moscow that Ankara has fulfilled its obligations under the contract.
“We have no concerns,” he said.
