Turkey needs Russian S-400s, will procure them soon: Erdoğan

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for military officers, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that Turkey needs the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries as well as the U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets for its fight against terror.

“Turkey needs the S-400 missile defense systems, and will procure them as soon as possible. Turkey also needs the F-35 fighter jets. We are project partners, have invested $900 million into this and will continue to pay its installments,” said Erdoğan, adding that Turkey would obtain the jets from elsewhere if Washington halts their delivery.

“The fight against terror seems to be the right of every nation but Turkey. It is not possible for Turkey to accept such impositions,” he added.

The U.S. House and Senate of Congress in late July agreed to bar the delivery of any F-35s to Turkey until the Pentagon delivers a plan evaluating the ramifications of axing Turkey from the program, and the state of Washington-Ankara ties.

Russia will begin delivering its advanced S-400 missile defense system to Turkey in 2019, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said in August.

The president also touched on currency volatility, dubbing it an attack on the Turkish lira.

“It is impossible to explain the attempt by the U.S. to use the case of pastor Brunson to topple Turkey economically and militarily. There is no need to be a genius to see who those behind the volatility in the exchange rates are; it is clearly an operation against Turkey. The exchange rate volatility will pass,” Erdoğan said.

Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing American pastor Andrew Brunson, causing the Turkish lira to depreciate.

The sanctions were followed by U.S President Donald Trump increasing tariffs on Turkish imports, which Turkey responded to by imposing customs duties on several U.S.-origin products, including alcohol and tobacco products and cars.

Erdoğan said Turkey needed alliances with other nations besides the European countries and the U.S.

"We know very well what kind of activities those who force us to have a unilateral relationship are carrying out either secretly or publicly all around the world."