Erdogan Says S-400 Purchase Was Worth US-Turkey Tensions

LOCAL NEWS

• Erdogan says the purchase of S-400s was worth the tensions it has cause between Turkey & the US in a New York Times Interview.
  • Erdogan said "we buy our own weapons, and can strengthen our defense as we please," pointing to the confirmation from Trump and Stoltenberg that Turkey had the right to choose its own arms suppliers previously.
  • Also said that if the US had sold Turkey Patriots it wouldn't have bought S-400s
• MHP Leader holds Biden responsible for tensions in US-Turkey Ties. Says the attitude of the US is clustered around an "arrogant understanding that always creates problems, crises and relies on oppression and blackmail."
  • Notes Turkey is not a colony of the US and will not be seen as a satellite country whose will has been stolen
• EU Approves an extra EUR 149m in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey. This comes in the form of its multi-purpose cash assistance programme that provides monthly transfers, but is still yet to be approved by the European Parliament
• Reuters poll sees inflation at 19.7% in September as Turkey struggles with high food prices and a weaker TRY. The range is set at 18.94-20.90% in a poll of 17 economists. Food and utilities expected to lead headline inflation, but core could decline slightly
• Healthmin calls for observation of social distancing measures to bring Turkey closer to herd immunity.
  • Highlights Eastern & southeastern regions as relatively less vaccinated danger zones with second vaccination rates below 55%. Turkey reports 29,386 new cases & 227 deaths overnight

• 0800BST: Aug trade balance exp at -4.30bn vs -4.28bn prior