Turkey needs to sort out price issues with Russia on S-400 missiles, defense minister says

ISTANBUL

AA photo

Talks between Turkey and Russia on procuring S-400 missiles for a domestic Turkish air defense system have “matured,” Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on May 10, but added the two countries needed to sort out some price issues, Reuters has reported.

NATO member Turkey in 2015 canceled a $3.4 billion tender for a long-range missile defense system that had provisionally been awarded to China. Turkey then said it would consider developing a missile system locally, but that stance later shifted.

“It is clear that Turkey needs a missile defense system, but NATO member countries have not presented an offer that is financially effective,” Işık previously said at a news conference in April. 

“Works on the S-400 has reached its final point. But the final stage does not mean ‘let’s sign a deal tomorrow morning,’” he said. 

He also said Turkey would not be able to integrate the S-400 into the NATO system.