Trump wants Turkey missile plans resolved without damaging ties: Turkish presidency

Published: June 29, 2019 14:04:05 | Updated: July 05, 2019 12:27:33

- AP photo

US President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan that he wanted the issue over Ankara’s procurement of air defence systems to be resolved without damaging bilateral ties, the Turkish presidency said.

Turkey and the United States have been at odds over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems, a move Washington has warned would trigger US sanctions, according to a Reuters report.

Turkey has so far dismissed the warnings and said it would not turn back from the deal.

In a statement following talks between Erdogan and Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan had voiced concerns about US actions that may harm the strategic partnership between the two NATO allies.