President Erdogan says purchasing S-400 not related to NATO, F-35

Turkey's purchase of S-400 missile defence system from Russia has "nothing to do" with NATO, F-35 fighter jets or security of the US, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

"Everyone knows that this issue has nothing to do with neither NATO and F-35 project nor the security of the US," Erdogan told a meeting of Turkey Youth Foundation (TUGVA) in the southeastern Diyarbakir province.

Erdogan said Turkey is facing pressure against buying S-400 air defence system, adding: "The issue is not about S-400. It is because Turkey takes action with its own will regarding the regional developments, particularly Syria."

"It is clear why Turkey is buying this air defence system and how will it use it," he added.

Logic and common sense

Erdogan also said that this issue will be solved through logic and common sense.

"Hopefully, we will deal with this issue with common sense, logic and interests, the same way we dealt with issues in the past," Erdogan said.

After protracted efforts to purchase air defence systems from the US with no success, Ankara decided in 2017 to buy Russian S-400 air defence systems.

The move was criticised by the Pentagon, which warned that purchasing the S-400 would hurt Turkish-US relations and Turkey's role in NATO.

Ankara is also planning to purchase 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US pending congressional approval, and its pilots are currently training on the weapons platform at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

Turkish firms also supply the F-35 program with key components, including airframe structures and assemblies, and the centre fuselages.