Missile defense

Talks between Turkey and Russia on procuring S-400 missiles for a domestic Turkish air defense system have "matured," Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on May 10, but added the two countries needed to sort out some price issues, Reuters has reported.

The attempt to find some common ground over Syria dominated the talks on May 3rd between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin. But the meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents also touched on another subject of concern to Turkey’s NATO allies. A deal has been agreed in principle for Russia to sell Turkey its potent S-400 long-range air-defence system. A price has yet to be agreed.

North Korea's nuclear testing and missile development program and U.S. opposition to it has recently turned into a credible threat not only to East Asia, but also to international security.

Beijing has called for an immediate stop to the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea and is ready to protect its interests, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang voiced the government's position against the move during a briefing on Tuesday.

US missile defense creates an opportunity for a covert nuclear missile strike against Russia, first deputy chief of the General Staff's Main Operational Department, Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir said on Wednesday.

The United States military started installing a controversial antimissile defense system in South Korea overnight Tuesday, triggering protests and sparking criticism that it was rushing to get the battery in place before the likely election of a president who opposes it.

It would take 10 minutes for a North Korean missile to hit Japan, Tokyo estimates, as tensions between the countries grow. Guidelines on what to do if a strike actually happens have been published online and have recently seen a huge surge in interest.

S-400 - Photo: EnglishRussia.com

Turkey's talks with Russia to purchase the advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system have reached the final stage, the country's defense minister said. He added that other NATO nations have not offered Turkey a viable alternative to the Russian system.

Turkey's talks with Russia about the purchase of the S-400 air missile defense system have reached a "final stage," although this does not mean a deal will be signed immediately, Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on April 21.

Işık also told a news conference that NATO countries have not presented a "financially effective" offer on an alternative defense system. 

The United States and South Korea agreed on the early deployment of a controversial US missile defence system in the region, the South's acting president said Monday after talks with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence, AFP reported.