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The Trump administration on Monday imposed sanctions on its NATO ally Turkey for its purchase of a Russian air defense system, paving the way for a new showdown between the two nations as President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to take up his duties.
The move comes at a delicate time in relations between Washington and Ankara, which have been at odds for more than a year over Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia, as well as over Turkish actions. in Syria, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and in the eastern Mediterranean.
The United States previously excluded Turkey from its F-35 stealth fighter development and training program because of the purchase, but took no further action despite persistent warnings from long-complaining U.S. officials of the purchase of the S-400, they say. is incompatible with NATO equipment and poses a potential threat to Allied security.
“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 endanger the safety of US military technology and personnel and provide substantial funding to the industry. defense of Russia, as well as Russia’s access to the Turkish military and defense industry, ”Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
“Turkey has nevertheless decided to go ahead with the purchase and testing of the S-400, despite the availability of alternative systems interoperable with NATO to meet its defense needs,” he said. he said in a statement.
“I urge Turkey to immediately resolve the S-400 problem in coordination with the United States,” he said. “Turkey is a valuable ally and an important regional security partner for the United States, and we seek to continue our decades-long history of productive defense cooperation by removing the obstacle of S- possession. 400 by Turkey as soon as possible. The sanctions target Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency, the country’s military procurement agency, its chief Ismail Demir and three other senior officials. The sanctions block any assets the four officials may have in U.S. jurisdictions and deny them entry into the United States. They also include a ban on most export licenses, loans and credits to the agency.
The administration had refrained from imposing punitive sanctions outside the combat program for months, in part to give Turkish authorities time to reconsider its deployment and, some suspect, due to President Donald Trump’s personal connections. with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
However, in recent months Turkey has moved forward with testing the system, drawing criticism from Congress and others who have demanded that sanctions be imposed under the anti-adversaries law. of America through Sanctions, or CAATSA, which imposes sanctions for transactions deemed to be detrimental to US interests.
Just a month and a half before Biden took office, sanctions pose a potential dilemma for the new administration, although the president-elect’s team have indicated that they oppose Turkey’s use of the S-400 and disunity within NATO. may cause.
Last month, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey was ready to discuss with the United States its “concern” over the interoperability of the S-400s and F-35s. The United States reacted coldly to the suggestion, and Pompeo ostensibly did not meet with any Turkish government officials soon after during a visit to Istanbul.
Turkey first tested the missile defense system in October, drawing condemnation from the Pentagon.
Ankara says it was forced to buy the Russian system because the United States refused to sell it US-made Patriot missiles. The Turkish government has also highlighted what it sees as a double standard, as NATO member Greece uses Russian-made missiles. (AP) NSA
