US Senator warns Turkey of new sanctions if it procures more S-400 missiles from Russia

On Monday, September 27, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez indicated that Congress might think of imposing new sanctions on Turkey if it continues to obtain more Russian S-400 air defence systems. He stated that according to Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), sanctions are mandatory for any entity that does significant business with Russia's military or intelligence sectors, reported Russian news agency Sputnik. Meanwhile, despite pressure from the US, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Ankara intended to buy another set of Russian S-400 air defence systems. In an interview with American broadcaster CBS News, Erdogan said that Turkey will decide its defence system on its own and that continuous pressure by the US over the matter is unacceptable. 

Turkey's President further stated that despite receiving USD 1.4 billion in payment, the US failed to deliver the F-35 stealth jets. Notably, after purchasing the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system, Turkey, a NATO member, was kicked out of the F-35 programme, and its defence leaders were sanctioned. The US fiercely opposes Russian defence systems being used within NATO, claiming that the missile system poses a threat to the F-35s. However, Turkey has maintained its stance, stating that the S-400s possess no threat and they will be used independently without being integrated into NATA systems, according to The Associated Press (AP). The former President Donald Trump's administration had also sanctioned Turkey after it had purchased the S-400 missile system in early 2020. The restrictions were imposed under a 2017 law aimed at countering Russian influence, reported The AP. 

Turkey's President to meet Russian President on September 29

It is worth mentioning that the issue is one of several stumbling blocks in Turkish-American relations, which also include US assistance for Syrian Kurdish fighters whom Turkey deems terrorists. Turkish President Erdogan also urged the US to take its troops out of other nations in the region in the same way it did in Afghanistan. Speaking to CBS News, he singled out Syria and Iraq as the two countries where the US should withdraw its troops, claiming such a move would promote peace in the region. Meanwhile, Erdogan is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on September 29. Both sides are expected to talk on a wide range of important subjects, including Syria, Afghanistan, and the looming migration catastrophe. Turkey is also keeping a close eye on the recent strikes in Idlib that targeted its military, according to The AP. 

Image: Twitter/@ Senate Democrats/AP