Turkey will meet its need for fighters elsewhere if the US does not sell the F-35, said Turkish President Recep Erdogan, adding that the US decision to exclude Ankara from the F-35 production program will not prevent it from meeting its needs, Turkish media reported.

According to him, Turkey will deploy the S-400 air defense system already from April 2020, that is, after the completion of the installation of the complexes and personnel training.

Ankara will not back down from its position and will not allow its interests to be damaged, whatever the cost.

Erdogan expressed the hope that US officials would be reasonable in the matter of sanctions.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Turkey not to deploy the S-400 in order to avoid sanctions.