Turkey's Erdogan eyes S-500. Putin keeps silence

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan suggested that Russia and Turkey should work on the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system together.

In an interview with Channel 24 TV, Erdogan said that he had made such a suggestion in his earlier conversation with Russian President Putin. However, Erdogan did not say anything whether Putin had to say anything in return and when the proposal was voiced.

However, the head of the republic did not comment on the reaction of Vladimir Putin to this initiative and did not specify when the proposal was voiced.

During the interview, Erdogan spoke about the lucrative loan for the acquisition of the S-400 and said that Turkey would join the production during the second and the third stage.

The S-500 anti-aircraft system is said to come as a replacement to the much talked about S-400 system. The S-500 ("Prometheus" or "Prometey" in Russian) is to be shipped to the Russian Armed Forces in two years. In the winter of 2018, it was reported that Russia already launched the production of the new system.