OREANDA-NEWS. The situation surrounding Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems does not affect Turkey’s relations with NATO. This was said on Tuesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Mevlüt авavuşoлуlu in Thailand in an interview with journalists. Video distributed Turkish Foreign Ministry.

"We have no problems with NATO, you can look at the statements of the Secretary General and his deputy regarding S-400 and other topics. Turkey is among the top five countries that make a significant contribution to NATO. So the topic is that Turkey and NATO has problems hasn’t been raised at NATO summits. This question is more likely to relate to bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States", the foreign minister said.

Cavusoglu is in Thailand on a visit where the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is held. Earlier, the Turkish minister met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, they discussed bilateral relations and regional issues. In September 2017, Russia announced a contract with Turkey for the supply of S-400, its cost is $ 2.5 billion. Ankara will receive a regimental kit (two divisions). The contract implies a partial transfer of production technologies to the Turkish side. The first deliveries began on July 12th.

Turkey and the NATO are actively opposing the acquisition of S-400 by Turkey. On July 17, the White House press secretary said in a written statement that Turkey’s decision to acquire Russian S-400 airplanes makes it impossible for her to continue to participate in the creation of the fifth-generation F-35 American fighter-bomber. S-400 is designed to destroy air attack and reconnaissance vehicles (including aircraft made using stealth technology) and any other air targets under conditions of intense fire and electronic countermeasures.