Kremlin says talks with Saudi Arabia on S-400 missile systems on track

MOSCOW– 9 October 2017: The Kremlin said on Monday that talks with Saudi Arabia over Moscow supplying Riyadh with advanced S-400 air defence missile systems had gone well from Russia's point of view so far.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on a conference call with reporters, was responding to a question about whether a decision by the U.S. State Department to approve the possible sale of a THAAD anti-missile defence system to Saudi Arabia might affect the Russian deal.

Peskov said the Kremlin could only offer its own assessment of how talks were progressing, but said preliminary negotiations on the deal had gone well.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Saudi Arabia's King Salman for talks at the Kremlin last week, cementing a relationship that is pivotal for world oil prices and could decide the outcome of the conflict in Syria.

When asked about fears that Saudi Arabia could use the S-400 system against Iran, Peskov said Russia's decision to offer the missiles to Riyadh was not aimed at any third party.