Russia says consultations with Turkey on S-400 contract completing

Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport, said that Turkey and Russia are completing a deal for the delivery of the S-400 missile defense systems.

Duvar English

Russia and Turkey are completing their consultations on the contract for the delivery of the second batch of Russia's S-400 air defense systems, Alexander Mikheev, the director of Russia's state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport, said on July 20. 

Mikheev also said that a financial model was formed, Sputnik reported. 

"Final consultations are being held, a financial model was formed, a program of technological cooperation in this project was formed, so we expect to complete this project in the coming months," Mikheev told reporters at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2021.

Ankara's purchase of the S-400s has strained ties with the United States and NATO allies over concerns that the systems are not compatible with the alliance's defenses and may threaten the U.S. F-35 fighter jets. Turkey, which was expelled from the jet programme over the Russian systems, rejects the concerns.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last month said that he had told U.S. President Joe Biden at their first meeting that Turkey would not change its stance on its S-400s.