... striking a deal with Russia, as well as Turkey’s sudden interest in it, were certainly spurred on by Ankara’s deteriorating relations with the United States after the attempted coup. It is hard to say what kind of response Ankara expected to its accusations and demands—in particular, the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, who was accused of masterminding the attempted coup—but repentance was certainly not forthcoming, and the attempt at blackmail by purchasing S-400 prompted pure rage. It was no longer 2013, and a NATO country buying Russian weapons caused much more than a murmur of protest. Subsequently, the United States even imposed sanctions against Turkey’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB)
under ...
... rapidly after 2014, when the implementation of previously signed contracts reinforced Iraq’s security system, facilitating the country’s struggle against the Islamic State. Back then, reports circulated about Baghdad’s interest in purchasing Russian S-400 missile systems. However, Iraqi government officials continuously denied these statements. Now, in light of the Israeli strikes, the Iraqi talks with Russia over reinforcement of its air defense systems is taking on new meaning in Iraq.
However,...
... who tries to pursue an independent foreign policy. Erdogan, in turn, also has a grudge against the US for the attempted coup in 2016, when the Americans tried to liquidate him physically. However, despite all these “red lines,” the Russian-Turkish S-400 deal is unlikely to be finalized.
This is a very sensitive issue. One of the US deputy defense secretaries, back in the days of Donald Rumsfeld, told me: “You can sell rifles, automatic weapons, armored vehicles, even tanks to a NATO member state,...
