![Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara, Turkey on 24 November 2020 [Cem Özdel/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/d2.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20201124_2_45516914_60022722.jpg?fit=920%2C675&ssl=1)
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs slammed the US for holding anti-Turkey meetings with EU leaders on Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system, local media reported.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticised his American counterpart during a recent video summit of NATO.
Attended #NATO Foreign Ministers VTC Meeting. In addition to the issues on NATO's agenda, emphasized our views regarding Nagorno-Karabagh, Eastern Mediterranean, Libya as well as the unlawful intervention against our ship. @NATO pic.twitter.com/HAknsEHrtn
— Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) December 1, 2020
Cavusoglu said Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 was not a choice but a necessity because of the US’ refusal to sell the Patriot system to Ankara for ten years.
Last week, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile system a “gift to Russia”.
He also accused Ankara of undermining cohesion in NATO, the report added.
Since 2017, Turkey and the US have been at odds over Turkey’s decision to buy the S-400, a Russian-made missile defence system, and US threats to break its contract to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets as a result.