US Still Hopes Turkey Will Not Deploy Russia's S-400 Air Defense Systems - Ambassador

US Still Hopes Turkey Will Not Deploy Russia's S-400 Air Defense Systems - Ambassador

US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Wednesday that Washington was still expecting Ankara to decide against deploying the S-400 air defense systems that the NATO ally is buying from Russia

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2019) US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Wednesday that Washington was still expecting Ankara to decide against deploying the S-400 air defense systems that the NATO ally is buying from Russia.

"We are very clear and on the record regarding the S-400. We think it was a mistake on Turkey's part to put S-400 in a NATO country and it is something we still hope will not be deployed," she told journalists at a briefing in Brussels.

Turkey's agreement with Russia on the purchase of S-400 air defense systems has been strongly criticized by NATO and the United States. They cite security concerns over the S-400's incompatibility with NATO's air defense systems.

Russia started S-400 deliveries to Turkey in July, with the second stage of the deliveries having been completed in September and the final batch expected by the year end.