WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Turkey is going ahead with a purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system, a Turkish parliamentarian said ahead of an informal Friday deadline which a US official said Washington has set for Ankara to respond to a rival US offer. US officials have said that if Turkey proceeds with the S-400 purchase, Washington will withdraw its offer to sell a $3.5 billion Raytheon Co Patriot missile package. They have also said it would jeopardize Turkey’s purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in the United States imposing sanctions. The formal US offer for Turkey’s purchase of Patriot systems expires at the end of March, US officials told Reuters, after which a new offer would have to be submitted. The United States has asked Turkey to give at least an informal answer on whether they will go ahead with their S-400 purchase by Friday, one US official said.

Source: Egypt Independent February 14, 2019 11:37 UTC