The United States on Friday warned Turkey of "serious consequences" if it purchased the S-400 missile system from Russia, pledging not to allow it to acquire F-35 fighter jets and the Patriot system.
Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers said that if Turkey bought the S-400, its acquisition of F-35 fighter jets and the Patriot system would not be realized.
Earlier on Friday, Turkish Defense Minister Khulosi Akar said Washington's suggestion that Turkey refrain from supplying F-35 fighters with Turkey was against law and logic, especially as Turkish pilots, technicians and officers received training on these fighters in the United States.
Akar explained that his country will begin to install the system from October next, considering that the purchase of the system "S400" defensive Russian "is not an option but a necessity, we are obliged to protect 82 million Turkish citizens and defend them."
A few days ago, the head of the European Command of the US Army, Commander-in-Chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) General Curtis Scaparotti, stressed the need not to give Turkey F-35 aircraft to Turkey, if they proceed to buy the Russian system.
In a televised interview, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vehemently criticized Scaparotti's remarks, voicing displeasure at the double-edgedness of countries demanding Turkey not complete the deal and its stamp on other countries with the S-300 defense system, such as Greece, Bulgaria and Slovakia.
The latest diplomatic crisis between the two countries contributed to a record decline in the value of the Turkish lira in August. Differences over the strategy in Syria and sanctions on Iran remain unresolved, while the missile defense issue threatens to widen the divide.