'No plans' to mix S-400 missiles into NATO system – Stoltenberg

NATO welcomes Turkey's dialogue with the US on "possibility of buying Patriot batteries," says NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gives a news conference on the day the United States is set to pull out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF), in Brussels in July 2, 2019.
Reuters

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gives a news conference on the day the United States is set to pull out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF), in Brussels in July 2, 2019.

NATO does not plan the integration of the Russian S-400 anti-air missile system into any air and missile defence system of the alliance, NATO Secretary-General said on Friday.

"There are no plans to integrate the Russian S-400 into any NATO integrated air and missile defence system," Jens Stoltenberg said in a news conference on the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in Brussels.

Stoltenberg said he welcomes that Turkey is in dialogue with the US on the "possibility of buying Patriot batteries."

He also said Turkey is in dialogue with Italy and France, NATO allies, on missile defence systems.

US-Turkey row 

Since 2017, Turkey and the US have been at odds over Turkey's decision to buy the S-400 – a Russian-made missile defence system – and US threats to break its contract to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets over the dispute.

The US claims the S-400 will be incompatible with NATO systems, an argument Turkey disputes.

NATO chief Stoltenberg says it is up to Turkey to make its own decisions on weapons systems purchases.

Route 6