US to sanction Turkey over Russian defense system: report

The U.S. will sanction Turkey for its deal in 2019 to acquire Russian S-400 air defense systems, Reuters reported Thursday, citing five people with knowledge of the situation.

Sources told Reuters the sanctions will specifically involve the nation’s Presidency of Defence Industry and Undersecretary for Defence Industries Ismail Demir.

The move, which could be announced by the end of this week, will add strain to Washington-Ankara relations and add another wrinkle to the foreign policy challenges faced by President-elect Joe Biden’s future administration.

“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.

Sources reported that Trump was amenable to the sanctions because it would allow him to appear to be taking initiative, according to Reuters. These sanctions would be separate them 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.

The Hill has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.

A State Department spokesperson told The Hill the department does not preview sanctions.