Russia in Contact with Turkey Over S-400 Sale to Gulf Country

MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. Russia remains in contact with Turkey regarding the S-400 missile systems previously supplied to the country, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing.

Earlier, the Turkish pro-government newspaper Hurriyet reported that the S-400 systems purchased by Turkey from Russia had been sold to one of the Persian Gulf countries. According to the newspaper, the deal will be announced in the near future. Peskov was asked whether Ankara had sought Moscow’s approval for the sale and how Russia had responded.

"All I can say is that this issue is extremely sensitive. We have had contacts with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue those contacts," the Kremlin spokesman said.

A day earlier, Hurriyet reported that Ankara was seeking a legal formula that would satisfy the United States, allowing it to be exempted from CAATSA sanctions and rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program. As part of those efforts, the possible sale of the S-400 systems to one of the Persian Gulf countries is under discussion. The newspaper Oksijen, for its part, identified the United Arab Emirates as the likely buyer of the S-400 systems.

Turkey purchased four battalions of S-400 air defense systems from Russia under a $2.5 billion contract in 2017. In October 2019, Rosoboronexport, part of the Rostec state corporation, announced that deliveries under the contract had been completed. After Turkey and Russia signed the contract for the delivery of an S-400 regimental set, Ankara was excluded from the US-led F-35 program.