"Calls will remain unheard": how the United States is threatening Turkey with sanctions for placing the S-400 on alert

Turkey risks facing sanctions as a result of tests of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

This was announced to reporters by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs in charge of the arms trade, Clark Cooper.

"There is such a risk because they (Turkish colleagues. -

) ... continue to work with the S-400," he said, adding that after testing this weapon, "the imposition of sanctions is very possible."

Cooper also clarified that the US has designated the S-400 alert as a red line that Turkey should not cross.

The State Department spokesman expressed the hope that Turkey "will refuse to put the system into operation."

"Take it out, take it out of service, just don't include it (in your military -

) and don't put it on alert," Cooper said.

The American official also stressed that the US "is working to ensure that Turkey stays with the West."

“This is important not only for the United States, but for the entire alliance,” he said.

The situation around the tests of the S-400

In mid-October, the media, citing sources, wrote that the Turkish side had tested Russian S-400 air defense systems.

It was noted that three missiles of the complex were launched, each of which successfully hit the intended targets.

After these reports, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said that if the data on the tests of the S-400 air defense system are correct, then the US Department of Defense "strongly condemns" them.

“We have made it clear that the introduction of the S-400 system is not in line with Turkey’s obligations as a US ally and NATO member,” Hoffman wrote on his Twitter page.

We have been clear: an operational S-400 system is not consistent with Turkey's commitments as a US and NATO ally.

- Jonathan Hoffman (@ChiefPentSpox) October 16, 2020

According to him, Washington is “deeply concerned about reports of the commissioning of the S-400 by the Turkish military.

"These systems should not be put into service," said a Pentagon spokesman.

Hoffman also recalled that the United States "objected" to Turkey's purchase of the S-400.

A week later, Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that tests of Russian S-400s in Turkey are continuing.

• President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan

• AFP

• © Adem Altan

"Ankara is not going to take into account the US position on this issue," Turkish Anadolu agency quoted him as saying.

A few days later, Erdogan reminded the United States that Ankara does not intend to abandon the S-400 air defense systems purchased from Russia and is not afraid of American sanctions.

He stated this at the congress of the Justice and Development Party in Malatya.

“You don't understand who you are dealing with.

Do not delay the introduction of sanctions, whatever they may be, - Turkish newspaper Hürriyet Daily News quoted Erdogan as saying.

- We took steps to acquire (American fighters. -

) F-35, we paid the money, you did not supply it.

You told us to return the S-400 to Russia, but we are not a tribal state, we are Turkey. "

"It's not profitable for the USA"

According to the expert of the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Research Vladimir Bruter, in the near future Washington will not impose sanctions against Turkey.

“The current administration simply does not have time for this, and the new one may deal with other issues.

However, restrictions are more expected from Democrats than from Republicans, "the analyst said in a conversation with RT.

If after the elections Washington decides to impose sanctions, then "they will hit first of all on the positions of the United States," said Yuri Mavashev, director of the Center for the Study of a New Turkey.

“The most that Washington can do is to continue to deprive Turkey of its license to manufacture American weapons, to restrict cooperation with the United States in the area of ​​military-strategic cooperation.

But Turkey understands this and deliberately conducts its policy regarding the S-400.

Ankara is confident that it will cope without American licenses - there is nothing exclusive on the US arms market that Turkey could not make up for through cooperation with other countries, including Russia, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

At the same time, Bruter noted that the sanctions restrictions will not be able to change Ankara's position regarding the S-400.

“Washington can say what it wants, it can put pressure, impose sanctions, frighten them - this will not have any impact on the Turkish leadership.

This can only lead to the fact that Turkey will be pushed out of the zone of contacts with the West, which is completely unprofitable for Western countries, and especially the United States, ”the analyst said.

As Mavashev explained, the American authorities "do not have a common vision on how to build ties with Turkey."

“On the one hand, the US has a negative impression of the behavior of Ankara, which, according to American officials, takes liberties, including in the military-strategic plan.

On the other hand, the United States is to a certain extent dependent on Turkey, on whose territory there are American bases, including the Incirlik base, as well as the NATO and American air forces.

For the North Atlantic Alliance and the United States, this is one of the important points in the Middle East, ”the expert said.

• The White house

• Reuters

• © Chris Helgren

According to Mavashev, "the United States needs Turkey," since Washington is unable to move its military bases from Turkey to other countries in the Middle East, "for example, to Jordan, since this is technically impossible."

“It will be difficult for the United States to do without Turkey because Ankara has great influence in the Middle East and can easily create problems for Washington.

Wherever the United States in the region wants to agree on something, to decide something, Turkey with the help of its allies can break the US game, ”the analyst said.

According to Mavashev, "the United States will begin to build a more concrete policy towards Turkey not earlier than the moment when the results of the presidential elections are announced."

"Increases the degree of resistance"

As noted by Yuri Mavashev, by testing the S-400, Erdogan "raises the stakes and it is no coincidence."

“The President of Turkey is now increasing the degree of opposition to the United States, since the United States is now in internal political confusion.

It is unclear who will be the next American president.

And for Ankara the opportune moment has come to implement the plans that it has been hatching for so long, in particular regarding the S-400.

In addition, the Turkish leadership felt that NATO was in crisis, ”the expert said.

Despite the fact that the outcome of the US elections is still unclear, Ankara is ready for any scenario, Mavashev believes.

“Turkey will defend its national interests in any scenario.

But Trump appears to Ankara as the lesser evil.

The Turkish side expects that it will be possible to somehow agree with him.

If Biden comes to power, then it is possible that Turkey, anticipating the actions of the new administration, may go to break close contacts with American partners on favorable terms.

At the same time, the countries will formally continue to interact, ”the analyst said.

As Vladimir Bruter emphasized, Turkey "in any case will emphasize that the United States has no right to dictate its own rules of the game to it."

“All such calls to Erdogan will remain unheard.

Ankara has its own geopolitical and national interests, which are put at the forefront, ”the expert concluded.