Russia is leaving open the possibility of approving the transfer of Turkish S-400s to another country, while making it clear, however, that prior Russian approval is required and that the receiving country must meet specific conditions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov articulated these positions during a meeting with reporters at UN headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Possibility of transfer remains open
Responding to questions about the possibility of Turkey transferring the S-400 systems to another country, Lavrov stated that Moscow is willing to consider relevant proposals, without ruling out such a possibility in advance.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Russian foreign minister said: “We will consider all offers. I won’t comment at this time, but yes, it is possible.”
Russia’s Approval Is Essential
Lavrov clarified that Turkey could not transfer the Russian systems without Moscow’s consent, while setting specific conditions regarding the country that would receive them.
The Russian foreign minister stated: “The country to which the systems are sent must act responsibly and maintain friendly relations with the Russian Federation. That way, we can be sure that these systems will not be shipped from that country to any other destination. This is extremely important.”
Russia Seeks Assurances Against Further Transfer
Lavrov’s statement is linked to Moscow’s demand to ensure that the S-400s, if transferred from Turkey to a third country, will not subsequently end up in another state. The Russian minister cited examples of weapons systems being transferred to Ukraine.
Lavrov argued that there are cases of Europeans purchasing weapons from countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Arab world and sign agreements prohibiting their further transfer, only for it to be discovered later that these weapons ended up in Ukraine.
The Russian foreign minister noted that, in the case of the S-400s, there must be corresponding assurances to prevent such a scenario from occurring.
Source: APE-MPE
