Turkish government doesn't expect US sanctions over Russian S-400s under Biden administration

Ankara doesn't expect the U.S. to impose sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system under the Biden administration, AKP deputy leader Numan Kurtulmuş told Reuters. "The U.S. President will most likely watch the balance in the Middle East very carefully for U.S. interests, and will not want to continue the tense ties with Turkey," he said.

Thursday November 26 2020 04:45 pm

Duvar English - Reuters

Turkey does not expect ties with the United States to be strained under President-elect Joe Biden and does not anticipate sanctions over its purchase of Russia S-400 defense systems, a senior official in President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said.

Relations have been tense between Ankara and Washington over issues from policy toward Syria to the U.S. refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen, the U.S.-based Islamic preacher widely believed to have orchestrated the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt.

Turkey has relied on the good personal ties between Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump to smooth over divisions, but Biden is expected to be tougher on Turkey over foreign and defense policies and Ankara's human rights record.

Ankara's purchase last year of the S-400s, which are not compatible with NATO defenses, raised the prospect of U.S. sanctions early next year if Congress approves a defense spending bill which the House of Representatives has already voted to include language requiring the president to sanction Turkey.

In an interview with Reuters, AKP deputy leader Numan Kurtulmuş played down that prospect.

"The U.S. President will most likely watch the balance in the Middle East very carefully for U.S. interests, and will not want to continue the tense ties with Turkey," Kurtulmuş said.

"...I believe they will take positive steps in the future."

'Turkey will not bow to pressure'

Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to the capabilities of its F-35 stealth fighter jets and has removed Turkey from the jet programme where it was a manufacturer and buyer.

Ankara says the S-400s will not be integrated into NATO and has called for a joint working group to discuss U.S. concerns. Kurtulmuş repeated that Turkey would not bow to pressure to return the Russian systems or leave them unused.

"Sorry, but we didn't procure these to hide them. We got them to meet Turkey's security needs," he said.

While Erdoğan has downplayed the possible fallout from these sanctions and vowed counter-sanctions, he has also promised economic and judicial reforms, following an overhaul of Turkey's economic leadership amid a plunge in the lira.

Asked if the reforms were aimed at easing tensions with the United States and the European Union, which will also evaluate possible sanctions against Ankara next month, Kurtulmuş said the government would act only for Turkey's interest.

"We act by thinking about what reforms we need, what steps to democratization will benefit our people and move on that path, not by thinking what act or rhetoric would please them," he said.