City
Epaper

'No progress in getting Turkey to abandon Russian missile system'

By IANS | Updated: December 6, 2019 12:30 IST

US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said that there had been "no movement" with regard to getting Turkey to abandon the Russian S-400 missile system.

Open in App

"We are where we are, there is no movement at this point," Xinhua news agency quoted Esper as saying in an interview on Thursday, adding "where they are going with S-400s is the wrong direction".

The remarks were made after this week's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in London, where Esper took part in meetings with the Turkish side.

During the summit, US President Donald Trump said the two sides remained in talks on the issue, noting that prior to Ankara's decision to purchase the S-400 missile system, it was denied the opportunity to buy the American Patriot missile system.

The S-400 missile system has been a major issue in the US-Turkey ties after Ankara signed a $2.5 billion agreement with Russia to purchase S-400 missile batteries in 2017, and began taking deliveries in July this year.

In response, Washington removed Ankara from its F-35 fighter jet programme, in which Turkey is a buyer and manufacturer, for fear that the move might enable Russia to obtain sensitive information on the aircraft.

Earlier this month, two US Senators issued a letter urging sanctions against Turkey in a move less than a month after the November visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: AnkaraTurkeyUs SenatorsRussia
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalEarthquake of Magnitude 8.8 Is Equal to Explosion of 15,900 Atomic Bombs Like Hiroshima, Claims Grok

InternationalTsunami Warning Issued for US States and Japan After 8.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Russian Coast

InternationalEarthquake in Russia: Quake of Magnitude 8.0 Strikes Kamchatka Peninsula; Tsunami Warning Issued

InternationalRussia Gas Explosion: Three, Including Child, Killed After Building Part Collapses Due to Blast in Saratov (Watch Video)

NationalSupreme Court Asks MEA to Trace Russian Woman and Return Child's Custody To Father

International Realted Stories

InternationalCoach derails in Karachi hours after Lahore-Rawalpindi line reopens

InternationalPakistan intensifies crackdown in third phase of Afghan deportations

InternationalHead of North Korea's assembly holds talks with Russia, 3 other nations in Geneva

InternationalPhilippines President to visit India from August 4-8, set to hold talks with PM Modi, Murmu

International"Hoping for a breakthrough": US envoy to visit Moscow for Ukraine talks