ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed confidence on Thursday he will be able to forestall a showdown with the United States over Turkey’s purchase of advanced Russian weapons when he and President Donald Trump meet this week at the G-20 summit in Japan.
Turkey faces economic sanctions and other punitive measures by its NATO partner should it take delivery next month of the $2.5 billion S-400 Triumph missile system it says it needs for self-defense.