Officials familiar with the developments regarding Turkey’s deal to buy Russian S-400 air defense systems said that the U.S. will soon impose sanctions on its NATO ally.
According to Reuters, five people with knowledge of the situation said that the sanctions will specifically involve the nation’s Presidency of Defence Industry and Undersecretary for Defence Industries Ismail Demir.
The decision, which is expected to be made public by the end of this week, will probably make Washington-Ankara relations worse, adding another international problem on President-elect Joe Biden’s desk.
“Sanctions would not achieve a result but be counter-productive. They would harm relations,” a Turkish official told Reuters. “Turkey is in favor of solving these problems with diplomacy and negotiations. We won’t accept one-sided impositions,” the official said.
In the past President Trump has opposed U.S. sanctions against Turkey, but he reportedly signed off on the planned sanctions, according to Reuters. Foreign policy advisers had recommended the sanctions as early as last July when Ankara first took possession of the S-400 systems.
The Hill reports that Trump was amenable to the sanctions because it would allow him to appear to be taking initiative. These sanctions would be separate from the annual defense authorization bill, which would require sanctions within 30 days.
The State Department may still alter the scope of the sanctions, according to Reuters, but sources told the wire service they will be formally announced in a matter of days.
Reports on upcoming sanctions come a year after the U.S. announced it would remove Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program due to its receipt of the Russian defense systems.
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