The batch of first ever of the Russian S-400 missile systems that Turkey has purchased will be loaded on Sunday and arrive in Turkey next week. According to Washington, US sanctions would be triggered when missiles arrive in NATO ally Turkey.
The latest controversy comes less than a year after another argument between the United States and Turkey over the imprisonment of an American Pastor Andrew Brunson, which led the US to impose sanctions and cause damage to the Turkish economy.
According to resources, the initial S-400 delivery will be sent on two cargo planes from a Russian military airbase. It also expected that a Russian technical team that would oversee its installation will arrive in Turkey by Monday.
Ankara and Washington have been shared controversy over Turkey’s decision to buy the S-400s, which according to Washington are not compatible with NATO defense systems and would compromise US-made F-35 fighter jets, which Turkey planned to build and buy.
Washington has also formally started the process of putting Turkey on the exception from the program for F-35s fighter jets. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned of strict measures, such as holding sales of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, unless it aborts the deal with Russia.
Casting sanctions on Turkey and removing it from the F-35 program would be one of the most significant breaches in recent history in the Washington-Ankara relationship and it will certainly complicate ongoing negotiations between the two countries over military strategy in Syria.
While U.S. officials have shown the sanctions against Turkey as a matter of high probability, Trump refrained from casting the hard expression against Erdogan over the S-400s during talks last month at the Group of 20 summits in Japan. To maintain a bond that Trump said helped win Brunson’s release in October.
