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The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey on Monday over the purchase of a Russian air defense system, complicating already tense relations between the two NATO allies. Turkey condemned the sanctions, saying it was a “grave mistake” and urged Washington to review its “unfair decision.”
In contact with reporters, senior US officials said Ankara’s purchase of the S-400 system and its refusal to reverse its decision left the United States with no other option. The sanctions, revealed by Reuters last week, target Turkey’s largest defense industry development body, its chairman Ismail Demir, and three employees.
Although the sanctions are limited to one institution, analysts say they will likely affect the Turkish economy at a time when the country is struggling with a slowdown due to the coronavirus and double-digit inflation. Ankara acquired the S-400 surface-to-air defense systems in mid-2019 and says they pose no threat to NATO allies. But Washington has long opposed the issue, threatening sanctions and last year excluding Turkey from the F-35 program.
Informed sources said that President Donald Trump resisted imposing sanctions on Turkey, ignoring the advice of his advisers, until he gave the green light several days ago. “The United States has made it clear to Turkey at the highest levels and on numerous occasions that its purchase of the S-400 system will jeopardize the security of US military technology and the US military and provide a lot of money to the Russian defense sector,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Christopher Ford, undersecretary of state for international security and non-proliferation affairs, told reporters that Washington had sought a solution, but Ankara had rejected all offers. “This is not a step that we have taken simply or quickly, for sure,” he said.
The US measures announced Monday under the Anti-US Adversaries Through Sanctions Act are near the end of Trump’s presidency and will likely affect Ankara’s relations with the administration of Democrat Joe Biden when he takes office next month.
Just before the US announcement, Erdogan said the sanction rhetoric was disturbing. “We hope that the United States, our ally in NATO, will support our battle against terrorist organizations and forces that have plans for our region, not sanctions,” he said after a cabinet meeting.
Source: Reuters
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