Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “Washington’s primary goal in imposing sanctions on Turkey is to prevent the development of our country’s defense industry and self-sufficiency.”
News agencies quoted the Turkish president as saying, “The assistance for all sectors will continue until the problems related to the spread of the Coronavirus epidemic are over.”
Erdogan also criticized the opposition’s statements, saying: “We are closely watching the use of the opposition and some institutions as a tool by those who have failed to lead Turkey in their direction.”
Regarding the US decision to impose sanctions, Erdogan said: “We will support Ismail Demir, head of our Defense Industries Organization, more than ever before.”
The United States, which did not meet any of our needs to purchase these systems, withdrew the weapon of sanctions because we met our needs elsewhere.
With these sanctions, we will rapidly increase our way to different regions to create a defense industry on a global level.
He added, “Washington’s main goal in imposing sanctions on Turkey is to prevent the development of our country’s defense industry and self-sufficiency.”
Pompeo and Çavuşoğlu discuss recent US sanctions against Turkey
The US State Department said in a statement that Mike Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart discussed recent US sanctions against Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 system.
The US State Department said in a statement last night that Pompeo met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu this week to discuss the reason for the US sanctions on Turkey.
The statement said: “The US Secretary of State informed his Turkish counterpart that the sanctions stemmed from Ankara’s move to buy the Russian S400 missile defense system.”
Pompeo told Turkey that the S400 posed a threat to US security and military technology, and that purchasing it from Russia would allow Moscow access to Turkish forces and their defense industries.
The US Secretary of State stressed that the purpose of the sanctions is to prevent Russia from obtaining stable income and access and influence, and not to destroy Turkey’s military capabilities.
Pompeo said Washington’s move against Ankara was based on the Katsa Sanctions Act.
He also said in a statement on Monday that the United States had made clear to Turkey that purchasing the S400 missile defense system from Russia would jeopardize the security of US technology and military personnel.
The Russian position on the US sanctions on Turkey
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also responded to a new US move against Turkey and the sanctions imposed on the Turkish defense industry over the purchase of the Russian S-400 system.
Lavrov described the US sanctions as “illegal” and said, “Washington has shown once again its illegal and unilateral measures.”
The US Senate also approved the ban on Turkey, which was recently approved by the US House of Representatives, in the form of the 2021 military budget.
