Turkey has announced that it will produce with Russia S-500 anti-aircraft defense systems

Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey and Russia to jointly produce S-500 anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic defense systems, after the controversial purchase by Ankara of S-400 anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.

The agreement on the purchase of the latter he tested the already tense relations with the United States. Washington has repeatedly warned Ankara against the risk of sanctions that this purchase would imply.

Turkey "will in no way take a step back in the purchase of the S-400, it's a closed affair"Assured the Turkish president in Istanbul.

"There will be a joint production of S-500 after the S-400," he told an audience of young people who had asked him questions.

The United States baderts that the agreement between Russia and Turkey, a NATO member country, it represents a threat to Western defense. Washington has asked Ankara to choose between the Russian defense systems and American F-35 fighter jets, which Ankara wants to acquire 100 units.

The North American government suspended early April shipments of ground equipment related to the use of the F-35, a device designed to communicate in real time with NATO military systems, including those of anti-aircraft and missile defense.

But Erdogan insisted on his willingness to acquire the Russian S-400 system.

The United States is concerned that the technology with which S-400 systems rely to collect technological data on NATO military aircraft, and that Russia can access it.

According to Erdogan, technical studies carried out by Turkey show that the S-400 and the F-35 are compatible.

The Turkish president said that "sooner or later" Turkey will receive the F-35. He also insisted that he receive the S-400 delivery in July. "But it could happen," added Erdogan.

Relations between Turkey and the United States, allied with NATO, They got tensed because of multiple problems.

One of them is the US support to the Popular Protection Units (YPG), an armed Kurdish group in Syria, considered a terrorist by Ankara. Another reason is the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim preacher accused of orchestrating a coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016.