Erdogan said Turkey could still buy US Patriot missile system

Erdogan said Turkey could still buy US Patriot missile system
President Erdogan has said that Turkey could be in line for the US Patriot missile system.
2 min read
13 September, 2019
Trump and Erdogan are expected to discuss the matter next week [Getty]

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey could still purchase the US' Patriot air defence system, despite obtaining Russia's S-400 – a decision that led to a diplomatic feud between Ankara and Washington.

Erdogan told Reuters that he had spoken to his US counterpart Donald Trump about the prospect of Ankara buying the Patriot missile system although a previous offer for the missile system has officially expired.

"I said [to Trump] no matter what package of ... S-400s we get, we can buy from you a certain amount of Patriots," Erdogan said in an exclusive interview with Reuters on Friday.

 

"But I said we have to see conditions that at least match up to the S-400s," Erdogan told Trump two-weeks ago.

Turkey ignored repeated warnings from ally the US about purchasing Russia's S-400 saying it was incompatible with NATO defences. 

Ankara argued that the S-400 was cheaper than the US' system and went ahead with the deal in July, leading to Washington's offer for the missiles expiring and Turkey being booted out of the F-35 fighter jet programme.

The surprise U-turn by Erdogan still depends on Washington's willingness to offer the Patriot to Ankara.

The signs so far are that Trump might allow a deal go ahead.

"He [Trump] said: 'Are you serious?' I said: 'Yes'," Erdogan said. The two are expected to discuss the matter further next week at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The matter had threatened to drive a wedge between the two allies, with Ankara also angered by the US' support for Kurdish militias in Syria.

Tensions have been eased with Trump agreeing to joint Turkish-US patrols along the Syria border and establishment of so-called "safe zones".