US imposes sanctions on Turkey for purchasing Russian missile system

"The United States made clear to Turkey at the highest levels and on numerous occasions that its purchase of the S-400 system would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia’s defense sector, as well as Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry. Turkey nevertheless decided to move ahead with the procurement and testing of the S-400, despite the availability of alternative, NATO-interoperable systems to meet its defense requirements," the U.S. State Department said in a statement on Monday.

The sanctions imposed comprise a ban on granting U.S. export licences and authorisations for goods or technology transferred to SSB, ban on loans or credits to SSB totaling more than $10 million (8.2 million euro) in any 12-month period, ban on U.S. Export-Import Bank assistance for exports to SSB and requirement for U.S. opposition to loans by international financial organisations to SSB.

Additionally, the U.S. is imposing full blocking sanctions and visa restrictions on SSB president Demir, the agency's vice president Faruk Yigit, SSB’s head of the department of air defense and space Serhat Gencoglu and Mustafa Alper Deniz, program manager for SSB’s regional air defense systems directorate.

Turkey acquired the S-400 missile defense system in July 2019.

Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952.

($ = 0.8237 euro)