Turkey rejects ultimatums, says will not back down on Russian S-400s

Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system is displayed at the exposition field in Kubinka Patriot Park outside Moscow on August 22, 2017. (AFP)

ANKARA: Turkey will not back down from its decision to buy Russian S-400 missile defense systems and rejects any ultimatums on the issue, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday in response to US warnings about the purchase.
Cavusoglu was responding to a question about a letter in which US acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan warned Turkey that it would be pulled out of the F-35 fighter jet program unless Ankara changed course from its plans to install the S-400s.