Moscow: Russia is all set to deliver its S-400 air-defense system to Turkey, a NATO-member in the coming days that is likely to trigger harsh reaction from US including U.S. sanctions and will test the bonds of the Western military alliance.
While President Donald Trump has put up a sympathetic face to Turkey on the purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense system, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, however, has warned of tough measures that would include canceling the sales of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey unless it aborts the deal with Russia.
According to a report published by NDTV, US State Department on Friday reinforced its warning to Turkish president Erdogan that there will be “very real and negative consequences” for Turkey.
The Turkey-Russia deal will be deal that strikes at the heart of NATO military coordination.
The military coordination is worried that the S-400 is incompatible with Turkey’s possession of the U.S.-made F-35s.
“They deal could give Russia access to secrets of its stealth technology,” NATO said.
US has said that the military cooperation of Turkey will Russia would bring mandatory U.S. sanctions against Turkey under a 2017 law on cooperation with “adversaries.”
The U.S. measures, if carried out, would cause an extraordinary breach in U.S.-Turkey relations and almost certainly complicate ongoing negotiations between the two countries over other issues, including military strategy in Syria.
Turkish president Erdogan, on the other hand has maintained that his deal with Russia is part of his nation’s sovereign right to defend itself.
“As we defend the rights of our country and our friends in the international arena, we see that the embargoes that we are exposed to in the defense industry increase,” Erdogan said.
Washington has threatened to impose sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which mandates U.S. sanctions against anyone making a “significant” deal with the Russian defense industry.
Reports.
