Indonesia won't abandon its deal with Russia on Su-35 deliveries in spite of the possibility of being subjected to US sanctions, the country's defense minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, said in an official statement on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM).
"Indonesia is looking forward to receiving [the] fighter jets soon, we are very interested in this," he said.
Ryacudu added that the ministry is currently working out the details on payment procedures with the Ministries of Finance and Commerce, while all other issues have already been resolved.
Russia and Indonesia have agreed on the sale of 11 Sukhoi aircraft, with the contract valued at $1.154 billion. However, the deal could fall under CAATSA, which may lead to Washington imposing sanctions on Jakarta as a result. US Secretary of Defense James Mattis asked congressmen in August to grant a waiver to India, Indonesia and Vietnam allowing them to make deals with Russia without the threat of being subject to American sanctions. So far Washington hasn't given any guarantees that these countries will not face sanctions.