Turkey has put down a deposit on S-400 missiles to Russia: Erdoğan

Vahap Munyar - ISTANBUL

Turkey has already paid a deposit to Russia for the purchase of the S-400 anti-ballistic missile system despite opposition from its NATO allies, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, underlining that both Ankara and Moscow were committed to accomplish the sale process of the high-tech defense equipment.“Our friends have already signed [an agreement on] S-400s. A deposit has also been paid, as far as I know. The process will continue by the transfer of a credit from Russia to us. Both Mr. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and myself, we are determined on this issue,” Erdoğan told journalists on his return from Kazakhstan on Sept. 10.Erdoğan’s remarks debunked some news reports published in different Western newspapers that suggested that Turkey will backtrack from purchasing Russian-made anti-ballistic missiles system as they wouldn’t be interoperable with NATO’s radars.But Erdoğan denied these reports, stressing that no other country has the right to discuss Turkey’s sovereign and independent decisions in upgrading its defense.“It’s us who will make decisions regarding our independence. We are responsible over taking security measures for the defense of our country. We’ll save ourselves if we face difficulties in procuring defense systems,” he said.Recalling that Turkey’s demands to purchase drones from allied countries have not been positively responded to as they were seeking enormous amounts of money, Erdoğan said, “They give tanks, cannons and armored vehicles to the terror organization but we can’t procure some of our needs, although we want to pay the price. What happened in the end? We started to produce our own drones and armed drones. We have killed 90 terrorists [with the armed drones] in the last week,” referring to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which the U.S. has been funding in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).When asked about the state of cooperation between Turkey and Russia over Syria especially with concerns that a military operation could take place to expel al-Qaeda-linked terrorists from Idlib, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of a meeting that will take place in Astana on Sept. 14 and 15 with the participation of Turkey, Russia and Iran.“Currently, the process in Idlib is being run as we agreed with Russia. There are no disputes with Russia on it. No controversy was brought to the agenda during our meeting with Iran. I am of the opinion that healthy talks will continue following the Astana summit. The process is developing positively,” he said.The three countries will discuss the establishment of de-conflict zones in four different regions in Syria, where they will observe the continuation of a cease-fire between the Syrian regime and opposition groups. Turkey is believed to have deployed monitoring mechanisms in the Idlib region in northern Syria.Erdoğan also responded to a question over claims that he held a secret meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at Putin’s request. “Some people are spreading these on purpose. I did not meet al-Assad and I have no intention in meeting him,” he said.A referendum set to be held on Sept. 25 in northern Iraq by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was also brought to the attention of Erdoğan in the interview. When recalled KRG President Massoud Barzani’s statements that they could even fight for a referendum in the face of Iraqi Turkmen groups’ opposition to include Kirkuk, Erdoğan said he wouldn’t find making emotional assessments on this issue correct.“First, we should get accurate information from our foreign ministry over these claims. Are these true? We have to see them first to make an evaluation. If we speak about it out of emotions, it would be wrong,” he stressed. Turkey never wants to see Turkmen groups leaving their homelands, Erdoğan stressed, recalling Turkey would do its share to keep them in their territories.On an ongoing tension with Germany, Erdoğan stressed that the problem is not with German people but with their government. “We feel resentful toward the German government because of some of their wrong stances. Yes, they are in an election period. But we don’t care much on who will win the polls. This is Germany’s internal issue,” he said.Calling on German leaders to bring an end to these policies against Turkey, Erdoğan stated, “We have seen what they have done during our referendum process. We will surely not give concession of our honor as the Republic of Turkey should these attacks against us continue. We cannot deem Germany’s abetting of terrorists normal.”</s>ISTANBUL (AFP) — Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defense systems in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers Tuesday quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

The accord for the surface-to-air missile defense batteries is also Ankara’s most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier.

“Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know,” Erdogan said in comments published in the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers.

“(Russian President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue,” he told journalists.

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier will raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance’s equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that “generally it’s a good idea” for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

Erdogan said Turkey was free to make military acquisitions based on its defense needs.

“Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic’s independence principles or independent decisions about its defense industry,” he said in the comments published Tuesday.

“We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country.”

The Turkish leader said the process would continue with a transfer of Russian credit to Turkey.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin’s adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: “The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation.”

He said that the S-400 was one of the most complex systems, made up of a whole range of technical materials.

“I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests,” he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

“For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey.”

Russia’s relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington’s support of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Moscow has accepted Ankara’s expressions of regret over the incident and the two countries have revived the relationship since then.

Ankara was also gladdened by Moscow’s response to the July 15, 2016, failed coup in Turkey.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support and sharing none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.</s>ISTANBUL: Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers on Tuesday (Sep 12) quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

The accord for the surface-to-air missile defence batteries is also Ankara's most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Erdogan said in comments published in the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers.

"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue," he told journalists.

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier will raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance's equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

Erdogan said Turkey was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

"Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry," he said in the comments published Tuesday.

"We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country."

The Turkish leader said the process would continue with a transfer of Russian credit to Turkey.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin's adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: "The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation."

He said that the S-400 was one of the most complex systems, made up of a whole range of technical materials.

"I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests," he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

"For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey".

Russia's relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington's support of the People's Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Moscow has accepted Ankara's expressions of regret over the incident and the two countries have revived the relationship since then.

Ankara was also gladdened by Moscow's response to the Jul 15, 2016 failed coup in Turkey.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support and sharing none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.</s>Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers Tuesday quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

The accord for the surface-to-air missile defence batteries is also Ankara’s most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier.

“Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know,” Erdogan said in comments published in the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers.

“(Russian President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue,” he told journalists.

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier will raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance’s equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that “generally it’s a good idea” for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

Erdogan said Turkey was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

“Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic’s independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry,” he said in the comments published Tuesday.

“We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country.”

The Turkish leader said the process would continue with a transfer of Russian credit to Turkey.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin’s adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: “The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation.”

He said that the S-400 was one of the most complex systems, made up of a whole range of technical materials.

“I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests,” he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

“For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey”.

Russia’s relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington’s support of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Moscow has accepted Ankara’s expressions of regret over the incident and the two countries have revived the relationship since then.

Ankara was also gladdened by Moscow’s response to the July 15, 2016 failed coup in Turkey.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support and sharing none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.</s>ISTANBUL: Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers on Tuesday (Sep 12) quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

The accord for the surface-to-air missile defence batteries is also Ankara's most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Erdogan said in comments published in the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers.

"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue," he told journalists.

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier will raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance's equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

Erdogan said Turkey was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

"Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry," he said in the comments published Tuesday.

"We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country."

The Turkish leader said the process would continue with a transfer of Russian credit to Turkey.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin's adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: "The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation."

He said that the S-400 was one of the most complex systems, made up of a whole range of technical materials.

"I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests," he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

"For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey".

Russia's relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington's support of the People's Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Moscow has accepted Ankara's expressions of regret over the incident and the two countries have revived the relationship since then.

Ankara was also gladdened by Moscow's response to the Jul 15, 2016 failed coup in Turkey.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support and sharing none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.</s>Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems, its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, in an accord that could trouble Ankara's NATO allies.

The purchase of the surface-to-air missile defence batteries, Ankara's most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier, comes with Turkey in the throes of a crisis in relations with several Western states.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published in several newspapers on Tuesday.

"Mr Putin (President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue," he told Turkish journalists aboard his presidential jet returning from a trip to Kazakhstan.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin's adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: "The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation."

'Take our own decisions'

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier is likely to raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance's equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

But Erdogan said Turkey -- which has the second largest standing army in NATO after the United States -- was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

"Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry," he said.

"We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country."

He said Moscow would extend a credit to Turkey for the purchase of the weapons.

Quoted by Russian state-owned TASS news agency, Kozhin said the deal was fully in line with Moscow's strategic interests.

"For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey".

However signing the deal does not mean that delivery is imminent, with Russia facing a high demand for the S-400s from its own armed forces and key clients like China and India.

Some analysts have suggested the message sent to the West by the military cooperation between Moscow and Ankara is as important as the delivery itself.

In 2015, Turkey scrapped a $3.4 billion deal with China to build its first anti-missile system.

Russia's relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington's support for the People's Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a new sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Ankara was also heartened by Moscow's response to the 2016 failed coup in Turkey and the two sides have been working together in search of a solution to the Syria conflict.

But the two nations -- whose rivalry in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions dates back centuries -- are still at odds on a host of political issues.

Turkey, which vehemently opposed the 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula by Moscow, condemned Tuesday the jailing of a Tatar leader for eight years by Russia over a rally against Moscow's seizure of the region.

Akhtem Chiygoz, a former deputy head of the Tatars' traditional decision-making assembly, was arrested in 2015 over clashes at a rally that left two people dead.

The ruling is "another blow for Crimean Tatars who express their concerns over developments in Crimea through peaceful means," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Erdogan in the past pledged to support Crimea's Turkish-speaking Tatar minority -- who have maintained their Turkic language and Sunni Muslim religion in a region where the majority is Russian-speaking and orthodox.</s>ISTANBUL - Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems, its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, in an accord that could trouble Ankara’s NATO allies.

The purchase of the surface-to-air missile defence batteries, Ankara’s most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier, comes with Turkey in the throes of a crisis in relations with several Western states.

“Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published in several newspapers on Tuesday.

“Mr Putin (President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue,” he told Turkish journalists aboard his presidential jet returning from a trip to Kazakhstan.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin’s adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: “The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation.”

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier is likely to raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance’s equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that “generally it’s a good idea” for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment. But Erdogan said Turkey - which has the second largest standing army in NATO after the United States - was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

“Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic’s independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry,” he said. “We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country.”

He said Moscow would extend a credit to Turkey for the purchase of the weapons.

Quoted by Russian state-owned TASS news agency, Kozhin said the deal was fully in line with Moscow’s strategic interests.

“For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey”.

However signing the deal does not mean that delivery is imminent, with Russia facing a high demand for the S-400s from its own armed forces and key clients like China and India.

Some analysts have suggested the message sent to the West by the military cooperation between Moscow and Ankara is as important as the delivery itself.

In 2015, Turkey scrapped a $3.4 billion deal with China to build its first anti-missile system.

Russia’s relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington’s support for the People’s Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a new sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Ankara was also heartened by Moscow’s response to the 2016 failed coup in Turkey and the two sides have been working together in search of a solution to the Syria conflict.

But the two nations - whose rivalry in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions dates back centuries - are still at odds on a host of political issues.

Turkey, which vehemently opposed the 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula by Moscow, condemned Tuesday the jailing of a Tatar leader for eight years by Russia over a rally against Moscow’s seizure of the region.

Akhtem Chiygoz, a former deputy head of the Tatars’ traditional decision-making assembly, was arrested in 2015 over clashes at a rally that left two people dead.

The ruling is “another blow for Crimean Tatars who express their concerns over developments in Crimea through peaceful means,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.</s>Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems, its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, in an accord that could trouble Ankara's NATO allies.

The purchase of the surface-to-air missile defence batteries, Ankara's most significant deal with a non-NATO supplier, comes with Turkey in the throes of a crisis in relations with several Western states.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published in several newspapers on Tuesday.

"Mr Putin (President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue," he told Turkish journalists aboard his presidential jet returning from a trip to Kazakhstan.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin's adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: "The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation."

Take our own decisions

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier is likely to raise concerns in the West over their technical compatibility with the alliance's equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded the alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

But Erdogan said Turkey -- which has the second largest standing army in NATO after the United States -- was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

"Nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defence industry," he said.

"We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country."

He said Moscow would extend a credit to Turkey for the purchase of the weapons.

Quoted by Russian state-owned TASS news agency, Kozhin said the deal was fully in line with Moscow's strategic interests.

"For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey".

However signing the deal does not mean that delivery is imminent, with Russia facing a high demand for the S-400s from its own armed forces and key clients like China and India.

Some analysts have suggested the message sent to the West by the military cooperation between Moscow and Ankara is as important as the delivery itself.

In 2015, Turkey scrapped a $3.4 billion deal with China to build its first anti-missile system.

Russia's relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington's support for the People's Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.

The Turkish-Russian contract is a new sign of better relations between Ankara and Moscow since a reconciliation deal was signed last year following the 2015 shooting down by the Turkish military of a Russian plane over the Syrian border.

Ankara was also heartened by Moscow's response to the 2016 failed coup in Turkey and the two sides have been working together in search of a solution to the Syria conflict.

But the two nations whose rivalry in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions dates back centuries -- are still at odds on a host of political issues.

Turkey, which vehemently opposed the 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula by Moscow, condemned Tuesday the jailing of a Tatar leader for eight years by Russia over a rally against Moscow's seizure of the region.

Akhtem Chiygoz, a former deputy head of the Tatars' traditional decision-making assembly, was arrested in 2015 over clashes at a rally that left two people dead.

The ruling is "another blow for Crimean Tatars who express their concerns over developments in Crimea through peaceful means," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Erdogan in the past pledged to support Crimea's Turkish-speaking Tatar minority -- who have maintained their Turkic language and Sunni Muslim religion in a region where the majority is Russian-speaking and orthodox.</s>ISTANBUL: Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems -- in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers today quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Erdogan said in comments published in several newspapers including daily Hurriyet.</s>Turkey has signed a deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defence systems in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow, Turkish newspapers Tuesday quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

The accord for the surface-to-air missile defence batteries is Ankara's most significant pact with a non-NATO supplier.

"Signatures have been made for the purchase of S-400s from Russia. A deposit has also been paid as far as I know," Erdogan said in comments published in the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers. 

 



"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) and myself are determined on this issue," he told journalists.

The purchase of the missile systems from a non-NATO supplier will raise concerns in the West over their compatibility with the alliance's equipment.

The Pentagon has already sounded alarm, saying bluntly that "generally it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy inter-operable equipment.

Erdogan said Turkey was free to make military acquisitions based on its defence needs.

"We make the decisions about our own independence ourselves, we are obliged to take safety and security measures in order to defend our country," he said.

Moscow also confirmed the accord, with Vladimir Kozhin, Putin's adviser for military and technical cooperation, saying: "The contract has been signed and is being prepared for implementation."

He said that the S-400 was one of the most complex systems, made up of a whole range of technical materials.

"I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests," he was quoted as saying by Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

"For this reason we fully understand the reactions of several Western countries which are trying to put pressure on Turkey," he added.

Russia's relations with NATO have been in crisis over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and for backing pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has currently troubled ties with the United States over a number of issues including Washington's support of the People's Protection Units (YPG) Syrian Kurd militia which Ankara considers a terror group.
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirms Turkey has paid a deposit on the purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.