Pentagon warns of 'grave consequences' if Turkey buys air defense system from Moscow

The Pentagon on Friday warned that should Turkey move ahead with its purchase of a Russian-made air defense system there would be “grave consequences” for Ankara.

“There would be grave consequences in terms of our military relationship with them,” Defense Department spokesman Charles Summers told reporters at the Pentagon.

Turkey, a NATO ally, plans to buy Russia’s S-400 long-range air defense system, but the United States has been trying to convince the nation to buy a Patriot air defense system instead.

The U.S. military has threatened to withhold delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey if Ankara goes through with the Russian purchase. Trump administration officials were in Turkey this week to work on the issue.