MOSCOW. April 2 (Interfax) - The delivery of Russia's S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey will depend on how Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responds to the United States' move regarding F-35 fighters, State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Vladimir Shamanov told Interfax on Tuesday.
"We will not go back on the S-400 delivery to Turkey. It was not for this that we took so long to decide on delivering our Triumph systems to Turkey," Shamanov said.
He said he "does not rule out that Turkey might refuse to buy [S-400]."
Shamanov recalled the contract for Mistral helicopter carriers, whose cancellation inflicted losses on Russia. "So to say, everything will depend on the stance of Erdogan, on what is more important to him," he said.
Shamanov said he understood the U.S.' move "as a military man, considering that Turkey would receive access to technological secrets one way or other in the course of cooperation in the production of the F-35 fifth-generation fighter, which means the possibility of their direct implementation in the S-400 software."
The television channel CNN has reported with reference to the U.S. Department of Defense that the United States suspended the deliveries related to F-35 fighter-bombers to Turkey and demanded that Ankara withdraw from the S-400 deal.