"The US makes erroneous statements": Erdogan called the deal on the C-400 more attractive than the purchase of American Patriot

Russia's proposal for the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems is more beneficial for Turkey than the US proposal for the Patriot air defense system. This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“The United States in the proposal for the Patriot air defense system did not provide us with the same favorable conditions as the Russian Federation. Therefore, at this stage, we are not interested in purchasing a Patriot. In July, deliveries of S-400 will begin, ”RIA Novosti quotes him.

Erdogan added that the deal with Russia on the C-400 is completed, the payment on it continues.

“The US makes erroneous statements on this topic,” he stressed.

He clarified that special attention will be paid to the S-400 theme during the High Level Cooperation Council, chaired by the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

Turkey has one of the most powerful armies in NATO, and the sentiments shown to it indicate a crisis in the alliance, expert of the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Konstantin Blokhin believes.

“The behavior of Turkey shows a crisis in this organization, a crisis that can grow. If Ankara will continue to behave this way, Washington may try to act the same way as in Venezuela - try to change the regime, ”the expert suggested.

He noted that Washington is also trying to influence Turkey through sanctions pressure.

“Washington’s policy of unleashing sanctions wars with all is a policy going nowhere, doomed to failure,” Blokhin said.

"Americans are not shy in choosing the means"

The question of the acquisition of the Russian S-400 complexes by NATO Turkey is systematically raised in the dialogue between Ankara and Washington. In the United States openly oppose the choice of Turkey.

At the same time, the United States has resorted to different arguments to substantiate its point of view, in particular, they speak of the incompatibility of the C-400 with NATO standards. In early April, Washington threatened Ankara with sanctions and urged the Turkish side to choose between the North Atlantic alliance and Russian weapons.

“The US president made it clear that we will not stand idle while NATO allies buy weapons from our opponents who threaten the solidarity of our alliance,” Pence wrote on Twitter.

According to him, Turkey must choose “whether it wants to remain an important partner in the most successful military alliance in history, or if Ankara is ready to risk the safety of this partnership by taking such reckless decisions.”

In addition, earlier in the United States announced their intention to suspend Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program due to the purchase of the C-400.

In response, the head of the country's foreign policy department, Mevlüt авavuşoлуlu, noted that the purchase of Russian complexes does not pose a threat to the United States and NATO.

“The S-400 deal is over, we are saying this to everyone, and the United States is including: there will be no risk for either you or NATO. Complexes will be under our control. If you have questions, let's create a technical commission, ”RIA Novosti cites авavuşoлуlu's words.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the United States is putting pressure on Turkey in connection with the purchase of the S-400. As the deputy head of department, Alexander Grushko, said, the United States is not shy about choosing the means of pressure on its allies.

“Americans are not shy either in the choice of means or in the selection of expressions, therefore, the pressure that the United States exerts on Turkey, in this sense, is absolutely not surprising,” RIA Novosti quotes Grushko.

He added that the US is trying to intervene in the most diverse areas of interests of individual states.

“No matter what sphere: from whom and what gas to buy, with whom to be friends, with whom not to be friends, against whom to impose sanctions, for whom and how to vote and in which countries, which regimes are democratic, which are not, which should be reset” - Listed the Deputy Foreign Minister.

At the same time, the USA still has instruments of influence on Turkey, Vladimir Vasiliev, chief researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada, said in an interview with RT.

“Since Turkey has a considerable number of weapons manufactured by the United States, the United States can reduce or stop the supply of spare parts and stop providing support functions related to consulting, logistics, checking the combat readiness of existing American systems that are in service,” the expert said.

In his opinion, there remains the likelihood of imposing economic sanctions against Ankara.

"Economically, Turkey is contently vulnerable, depending on exchange rate fluctuations, at present, i.e. lira against the dollar, ”said Vasiliev.

He also does not exclude that the United States in extreme cases will resort to an attempt to change the government in Turkey. According to him, the main outcome in the case of completion of the deal on the S-400 may be political consequences.

“Already one attempt at a coup was Erdogan to understand that this is not just a quarrel, disagreements between strategic partners, considering Turkey’s membership in NATO, how much a serious enough approach, extreme displeasure of the current US leadership of the current Turkish leader,” the expert concluded.