Sanctions Threatened By Washington, President Erdoan: If US Sells Patriot Missiles, Ankara Won't Buy Russia's S-400

Russian S-400 air defense system. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's unanimous desire to buy the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defense system was worth the risk of tensions between Ankara and Washington.

Turkey plans to add S-400 Triumf air defense systems with the second batch of orders, despite US threats to extend sanctions against Turkey

"We buy our own weapons", said President Erdogan, as quoted by TASS of the New York Times on September 30.

According to the New York Times, the Turkish leader pointed out that NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and former US President Donald Trump have reaffirmed Turkey's right to choose arms suppliers.

According to him, had the US sold the Patriot missile defense system to Turkey, Ankara "wouldn't have bought the S-400".

When asked whether Turkey's actions were worth the tension with Washington, the Turkish president replied emphatically. "I think it's feasible. We can strengthen our defense as we like", said President Erdogan.

Russian S-400 air defense missile system. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/Юрий ов)

The Office of the Chair of United States Senate Foreign Relations Robert Menendez said last Wednesday that sanctions are mandated by law for any entity that does significant business with Russia's military or intelligence sector.

"Every new purchase by Turkey should mean new sanctions", Menendez said on Twitter, citing Daily Sabah, September 28.

US officials on Sunday called on Turkey to refrain from buying additional Russian weapons, saying the move, which could deepen rifts between the two NATO allies, as well as trigger new US sanctions.

"We continue to explain to Turkey that any significant new Russian arms purchases will risk triggering CAATSA 231 sanctions separate from and in addition to those imposed in December 2020", a State Department spokesman said, referring to the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 2017.

Moscow and Ankara signed a contract for the delivery of the S-400 system in 2017. Turkey became the first NATO country to purchase the system from Russia, drawing negative reactions from the United States and NATO in general.

In particular, Washington said that Turkey's decision to buy Russia's S-400 air defense system made its continued engagement with the F-35 impossible.

The move prompted Washington to remove Turkey from its new-generation F-35 Lightning II jet program before imposing sanctions on the Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), Turkey's chief, Ismail Demir, and three other employees in December.

To note, the Russian -400 'Triumf' (NATO version: SA-21 Growler) is the newest long and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that entered service in 2007. 

The system is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise, and ballistic missiles, it can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can strike targets at a distance of up to 400 km and an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and interference.