Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system is displayed at the exposition field in Kubinka Patriot Park outside Moscow on Aug 22, 2017. (ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP)
MOSCOW — Turkey's presidential administration has said that the purchase date for more S-400 missile systems from Russia is just a technicality and that it thinks a deal will happen before too long, the RIA news agency reported on Monday.
Such a move could further strain ties between Turkey and the United States
Moscow hopes to seal a deal to supply Turkey with more S-400 missile systems in the first half of next year, the head of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said last month.
READ MORE: US to remove Turkey from F-35 program over S-400 missile deal
Such a move could further strain ties between Turkey and the United States, which has suspended Ankara from the F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, in which it was a producer and buyer, to punish it for buying S-400 batteries earlier this year.
"The date of the purchase of a second set of S-400s is just a technical question. I think it will happen before too long," RIA cited a security and foreign affairs official in the Turkish presidential administration as saying.
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Rosoboronexport's Alexander Mikheev told RIA news agency on Nov. 26 that Moscow and Ankara were actively discussing Ankara taking up an option in the original contract for it to receive more S-400 systems, with talks focused on financial questions.
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