U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman emphasized that Turkey should not acquire any Russian military equipment. Sherman stated on Friday that Turkey would face consequences if it purchased new batches of Russian weapons.
It is worth noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had previously announced that he is "unhesitant" regarding Ankara's purchase of a second batch of Russian S-400 missile defense systems. Erdoğan explained that Washington's refusal to allow Turkey to return to the production of advanced U.S. F-35 fighter jets left his country with no option but to turn to Russia for S-400 missile defense systems. These statements were made in an interview with CBS News that aired on Sunday.
The United States claims that the S-400 missiles pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to the broader NATO defense systems, according to Reuters.
**Previous Sanctions**
The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey's defense industries authority and its head, Ismail Demir, along with three others in December after Ankara acquired the first batch of S-400 missiles. Discussions between Russia and Turkey regarding a second delivery have continued, and Washington has repeatedly stated that this could lead to new U.S. sanctions. Russia began delivering S-400 systems to Turkey on July 12, 2019, following an agreement signed between Moscow and Ankara in December 2017, under which Turkey obtained a loan from Russia to partially finance the purchase of the S-400 systems.
