Erdogan says Turkey’s frictions with US were ‘worth it’

Turkish President Erdogan has said that Turkey’s frictions with the U.S. were “worth it,” adding that Ankara can strengthen its defense as it pleases.

In an interview with The New York Times last week on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the United Nations, Erdogan was asked whether Turkey’s actions had been worth the frictions caused with the U.S.

“I think it was worth it,” Erdogan said. “We can strengthen our defense as we please.”

The Turkish President also said the U.S.-Turkish relationship remained fundamentally important. “Turkey has long U.S. ties,” he said. “This will be reinforced and has to be protected.”

Erdogan rejected suggestions that Turkey had undermined NATO by purchasing S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.

“We buy our own weapons,” Erdogan said, asserting that both the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and President Donald J. Trump had reaffirmed Turkey’s right to choose arms suppliers. Had the Americans sold Turkey a Patriot missile defense system, Erdogan said, Ankara “would not have had to buy S-400s.”

Moscow and Ankara inked a deal in 2017 on the delivery of the S-400 air defense system to Turkey, thereby making it the first NATO member to purchase this air defense missile system from Russia.

Ankara’s purchase of the S-400s has strained ties with the United States and NATO allies over concerns that the systems are not compatible with the alliance’s defenses and may threaten the U.S. F-35 fighter jets. Turkey, which was expelled from the jet program over the Russian systems, rejects the concerns.