Assistant Secretary of the USA for Political Affairs Clarke Cooper said that risk of Turkey being sanctioned by the USA due to the purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense system is increasing, the American magazine National Defense writes.
“The constant conversation we had with our Turkish counterparts was about the fact that S-400…was incompatible with the US platforms. They are not compatible with NATO. The introduction of such means or systems entails further risk of sanctions and further risk of restriction (arms – ed.)”, Cooper is quoted.
According to Cooper, the US administration “made it clear to Ankara that the S-400 tests were absolutely unacceptable”.
Deliveries of the latest Russian S-400 air defense systems, which caused a crisis in the relations between Turkey and the USA, began in mid-July 2019. Washington demanded Turkey abandon the deal and in exchange, acquire American Patriot systems, threatening to delay or even cancel the sale of the latest F-35 fighters to Turkey, as well as impose sanctions in accordance with the CAATSA (Law on Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions). Ankara refused to make concessions and continued negotiations for an additional batch of S-400.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Zuma \ TASS
Based on materials from RIA Novosti