Turkish leader spoke with France, Italy about co-producing Eurosam missiles: Top Turkish diplomat

Joint Turkish production of a European missile was discussed when the Turkish president met with Italian and French leaders in Brussels earlier this week, according to Turkey's top diplomat.

During NATO meetings in Brussels on the Ukraine war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Prime Minister Mario Draghi "and the main issue was the Eurosam SAMP/T and defense system," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Doha Forum on Saturday.

Eurosam "is a joint venture of France and Italy. And we signed an agreement, a letter of intention with Eurosam like eight years ago, (but) nothing happened until today. Now those two countries are most curious to have joint production in Turkey to export SAMP/T, the air defense system, to my country," Çavuşoğlu explained.

Asked whether after its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense, Turkey might buy more such systems from Russia, Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey purchased the S-400s and it is a "done deal."

Touching on rumors that Turkey might give its S-400 system to Ukraine, Çavuşoğlu said this "is out of the question."

Turkey needs more air defense systems, and would prefer to buy them from the US or other allies, he said, but added: "If we cannot purchase from our allies, I have to find another source."

Turkey bought the S-400s after years of efforts to buy US Patriot missiles were rebuffed. After the S-400 purchase, the US suspended Turkey from the F-35 jet program and imposed sanctions.

Both Turkey and the US have expressed interest in resolving the dispute.

NATURAL GAS, DEFENSE INDUSTRY, OLIGARCHS

Pointing out that Turkey's natural gas dependence on Russia has fallen from 51% four years ago to less than 40% now, Çavuşoğlu said: "We are diversifying and finding new energy sources, and we are also investing a lot in renewables."

On defense products, he said that Turkey currently produces more than 70% of its defense needs.

Explaining that they are also working on an air defense system, Çavuşoğlu said that they are also trying to find alternatives to meet Turkey's air defense system needs.

Asked about Russian oligarchs, who have faced new Western sanctions since the war began last month, he said: "We implement UN-approved sanctions, so if any Russian citizens want to visit Turkey, of course, they can visit Turkey. Now Russians are coming to Turkey, as tourists. that's no problem."

If you mean that whether these oligarchs can do any business in Turkey, then of course, if it is legal, and if it is not against international law," then that is okay, he said.

He added: "(But) I will consider if it is against international law, then that is another story."

On Russia's war on Ukraine, Çavuşoğlu added: "Our job is to actually have them (Russia and Ukraine) find this face-saving way out."

Çavuşoğlu added that in the end Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make the final decision, "so that's why we have been also trying to bring them together."

Çavuşoğlu showed skepticism on Ukraine's wish for NATO membership, saying: "I think Ukraine understood that that NATO membership will not happen. It was not going to happen anyway. And many European allies were against this NATO membership of Ukraine and Georgia. So Ukraine understood this perfectly."

Saying that Ukraine does not have the luxury of choosing between West and East, or between Europe and Russia, he underlined that Turkey and Ukraine, as countries in the region, should have a balanced foreign policy with all.

The 20th edition of the Doha Forum kicked off in the Qatari capital on Saturday.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which began on Feb. 24, has met international outrage, with the EU, US and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,035 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 1,650 injured, according to UN estimates, while cautioning that the true figure is likely far higher.

More than 3.7 million Ukrainians have also fled to neighboring countries, with millions more displaced inside the country, according to the UN refugee agency.