Reuters quoted US officials as saying that Washington intends to impose sanctions on Turkey, and this comes while the work of the European summit, which discusses economic sanctions against Turkey, due to its activities in the eastern Mediterranean, continues.
Reuters said that 4 sources, including two familiar US officials (whose names were not mentioned), told it on Thursday that "the United States intends to impose sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system last year."
The sources added that the expected move for some time, which is likely to anger Ankara and severely complicate its relations with the next US administration led by President-elect Joe Biden, may be announced any day.
The sources stated that the sanctions will target the Turkish Defense Industries Administration and its head, Ismail Demir.
The agency also quoted a senior Turkish official (it did not name him) as saying that "the US sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the S-400 system will backfire and harm relations between the two countries, which are members of NATO."
He added that Turkey supports solving these problems through diplomacy and negotiations, and will not accept unilateral sanctions.
European summit
In a related context, the work of the European summit continues, which discusses a package of new punitive measures against Turkey due to its activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to the draft final statement, the new punitive measures stipulate the imposition of sanctions on individuals and companies responsible for drilling and exploration operations in the Eastern Mediterranean region, in addition to a travel ban to the European Union and an asset freeze.
Before the summit, European Council President Charles Michel said, "European leaders will send a clear message to Turkey; they will continue to defend the values and interests of Europe."
On the other hand, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin confirmed that the language of threatening sanctions will not work with Turkey, calling on leaders and leaders of the European Union countries to avoid imposing sanctions on Ankara.
During his participation in a seminar by a German studies center via the Internet, Kalin reiterated his country's readiness to engage in talks with everyone in this regard without preconditions.
He criticized the positions of some European countries that demand Turkey to agree to the conditions of Cyprus, stressing that Ankara seeks the unity of the island while Greece and the Greek Cypriots reject that.
The Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Shantoub also expressed his hope that the European Union would not take decisions that would deepen the crisis with his country.
This came during a speech in the Turkish Parliament regarding the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He explained that international bodies have deliberately escalated tension in the eastern Mediterranean, after Turkey began search and exploration operations in that region, and concluded a maritime agreement with Libya.
In turn, NATO Secretary-General Jans Stoltenberg called for strengthening the dispute settlement mechanism between Turkey and Greece to avoid any incidents between two NATO member countries.
Stoltenberg said that "technical and military discussions could pave the way for basic political negotiations between Turkey and Greece."