Russia and Turkey to build up military ties despite US sanctions
30 December, 2020
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Ankara would not be deterred from military co-operation by US sanctions on Turkey for investing in a Russian missile defence program.
Washington this month punished Turkey for investing in Russia's S-400 air defence program, in a rare approach against a Nato ally.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the time told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that the sanctions were meant to stop Russia acquiring substantial earnings from the sale.
On Tuesday, Mr Cavusoglu visited Moscow for talks with Mr Lavrov.
"We have confirmed our mutual intention to build up military ties with Turkey," Mr Lavrov said later on.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciated Turkey's perseverance to "continue co-operation in this area in spite of continuing illegitimate pressure from Washington".
Mr Cavusoglu said the US sanctions against Turkey were "an take action of aggression against our country's sovereign rights", and that Ankara wouldn't normally give in to pressure.
"We prefer to fix all problems including that of the S-400 through negotiations," he said.
"Immediately after introducing the sanctions the US announced it favours dialogue. We've never been against dialogue."
Turkey last year took delivery of the $2.5 billion system, defying warnings that such military co-procedure was incompatible with the Nato accord.
It was told that Russia can improve its targeting of US stealth planes through the machine.
Although Russia and Turkey are rivals in conflicts including those in Libya and Syria, Mr Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seek to maintain good relations.
The two countries are jointly monitoring a Russian-mediated truce over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region after a six-week war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which more than 6,000 died.
Tension between the two countries rose over Nagorno-Karabakh as the fighting continued.
Russia accused Turkey of mailing Syrian mercenaries to battle Armenian troops, since it had done for Libya's Authorities of National Accord found in Tripoli to broad international condemnation.
This month, Turkish police briefly arrested two Russian journalists in Istanbul for allegedly filming a drone production unit without permission.
Source: russia-and-turkey-to-develop-military-ties-despite-us-sanctions-1.1137084