Turkey to retaliate if US imposes sanctions over S-400’s

Turkey has said it will retaliate if the United States imposes sanctions over its procurement of the S-400 air defense systems from Russia, reiterating once again that this system has already been purchased and will be deployed regardless of its consequences.

“If the United States takes any negative actions towards us, we will also take reciprocal steps,” Mevlut Cavusoglu, the minister, said when asked about possible U.S. sanctions in an interview broadcast on Turkish TV.

“There are steps we will take [against the U.S.] if they impose [sanctions] against us. These steps will be announced when needed,” Cavusoglu told state-run Anadolu Agency in an interview on June 14. “We will certainly respond [to the U.S. sanctions].”

Cavusoglu was responding to questions about what actions Turkey would take in the event of the U.S.’s Russia-related sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The minister did not specify which measures Turkey would take against the U.S. but stressed that “an understanding that has been stipulating Turkey’s silence and full obedience to the U.S. impositions is now over.”

“Backing down from this deal for us is impossible, whatever its consequences might be,” Cavusoglu said, adding, “As the people, we have to have a make decision now. Are we going to be fully dependent or will we be a nation fully independent and free? This requires a certain price to pay and we should be ready to pay it as a whole nation.”

“We will continue our determination in order to become a free and independent nation.”

The S-400s are not compatible with NATO’s defence systems and Washington says they would compromise its F-35s, which Turkey also plans to buy. Turkey has proposed that the allies form a working group to asses the impact of the S-400s, but has yet to receive a response from the United States.