US is about to sanction Turkey over Russian defense system

The United States is ready to impose sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems last year, four sources including two US officials told Reuters on Thursday.

In September 2017, Ankara signed a $2.5 billion deal with Moscow to procure the S-400, a Russian-made mobile surface-to-air defense system designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and can also be used against ground installations.

The delivery of S-400 launchers began in July 2019, infuriating the US, which had long warned that Turkey cannot have both the S-400 and American Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets.

Now sources say that US sanctions on Turkey would be announced any day, a move that is likely to aggravate already strained ties between the two NATO allies.

The US claimed that the S-400 defense systems were incompatible with NATO equipment and could expose the F-35s to possible Russian subterfuge.

The S-400 deal prompted Washington to threaten sanctions against Ankara and suspend Turkish involvement in its F-35 jet program.

The new sanctions, according to sources, would target Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries and its head, Ismail Demir.

MG