Pompeo: Sanctions are to block Russia, not undermine Turkey’s military
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reassured his Turkish counterpart in a Thursday phone call that the aim of sanctions imposed this week is to block Russia from obtaining further revenues and influence, not undermine the military of a NATO ally.
Pompeo told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that “the goal of the sanctions is to prevent Russia from receiving substantial revenue, access, and influence, and they are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of Turkey or any other US ally or partner,” according to a statement from deputy state department spokesperson Cale Brown.
On Monday, the US announced sanctions on Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) for its $2.5 billion purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. NATO members say the Russian system poses a risk to their alliance and F-35 combat aircraft. Turkey was already kicked out of the F-35 program because of its S-400 purchase.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the US of trying to block its defense industry. “The real aim is to block the progress that we have made lately in the defense industry and to make us once again strictly dependent on [the United States],” he said on Wednesday. “If it weren’t the S-400 issue, they would have used other issues.”
Pompeo urged Cavusoglu to “resolve the S-400 issue in a manner consistent with our decades-long history of defense-sector cooperation and to re-commit itself to its NATO obligations to purchase NATO-interoperable weaponry,” Brown added.
Pompeo told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that “the goal of the sanctions is to prevent Russia from receiving substantial revenue, access, and influence, and they are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of Turkey or any other US ally or partner,” according to a statement from deputy state department spokesperson Cale Brown.
On Monday, the US announced sanctions on Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) for its $2.5 billion purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. NATO members say the Russian system poses a risk to their alliance and F-35 combat aircraft. Turkey was already kicked out of the F-35 program because of its S-400 purchase.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the US of trying to block its defense industry. “The real aim is to block the progress that we have made lately in the defense industry and to make us once again strictly dependent on [the United States],” he said on Wednesday. “If it weren’t the S-400 issue, they would have used other issues.”
Pompeo urged Cavusoglu to “resolve the S-400 issue in a manner consistent with our decades-long history of defense-sector cooperation and to re-commit itself to its NATO obligations to purchase NATO-interoperable weaponry,” Brown added.