The Turkish government values its independent policy and independence in matters of national security, and does not unconditionally follow the policy of Washington. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Russkaya Mysl (Russian Thought) magazine published in Great Britain.
Lavrov pointed out that Ankara attaches great importance to NATO membership and has obligations within the alliance, but tries to maintain the independence of political decisions. "The Turkish leadership seeks to pursue an independent, nationally oriented foreign policy. Ankara is criticized by its NATO allies for its unwillingness to blindly follow Washington's lead and for its independence in choosing its defense capabilities," he said.
Lavrov noted that this criticism in some cases turns into sanctions. "The Turkish example shows how the situation with democracy inside NATO really is," Lavrov added.
On December 14, 2020, the US government announced that it was imposing sanctions on the Turkish Defense Industry Directorate, its head and three Turkish citizens under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The restrictions, Washington said, send a "clear signal" that the United States will "fully enforce CAATSA" and "will not tolerate significant deals with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the US sanctions and promised to retaliate. The Foreign Ministry also stressed that Ankara "will not refrain from taking measures it considers necessary for ensuring its national security". Earlier, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Washington's intention to impose sanctions against Ankara over its purchase of Russian S-400 is a sign of disrespect for its important NATO partner.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS