https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/p...ters-97l9gxdnh
Putin offers Erdogan his stealth fighters
President Putin confirmed yesterday that Russia is ready to sell Turkey its Su-57 stealth fighters, which could push relations between the buyer and its fellow Nato members to breaking point.
Mr Putin made the comment while accompanying President Erdogan to the Maks-2019 international air show near Moscow. The leaders inspected the cockpit of a fifth generation Su-57, after which Mr Erdogan inquired if the aircraft were available for purchase. “You can buy,” a smiling Mr Putin replied. The Russian president later hailed what he said were growing opportunities for arms sales to Turkey, which has also expressed an interest in Russia’s Su-35 fighter jets.......
Russian analysts said it was likely that Turkey would now step up its purchases of Russian weaponry in defiance of Nato. “The Americans won’t like it, of course,” Evgeny Buzhinsky, a former member of the Russian general staff, told Russian state media. “But no one will exclude Turkey from Nato because it’s too important an ally.”.......
Mr Erdogan’s trip to Moscow coincided with a
renewed military offensive by the Kremlin-backed Assad regime in Idlib province, northwest Syria. Mr Erdogan said the assault on the jihadists who control the province was a threat to Turkey’s national security and was causing a major humanitarian crisis. He has warned that Turkey is preparing to send in ground troops to secure its borders.......
The Morek observation point, one of 12 set by the Turkish army in Idlib under the terms of the agreement, was
surrounded last week as the regime and Russian forces closed in on the area. The Turkish flag now appears to have been lowered. A video posted online on Monday night showed regime soldiers holding the flag, mocking the Turkish troops and chanting: “With our blood and souls, we sacrifice for you Bashar [Assad]”.
Mr Putin said yesterday that he and Mr Erdogan had agreed on additional steps to reduce hostilities in Idlib but gave no details.