The United States has condemned Turkey for ignoring U.S. warnings and testing an advanced Russian air defense system.
A Haber television station, which has close ties to the Turkish government, reported that the Turkish army test-fired the S-400 system in the northern province of Sinop, near the Black Sea.
The U.S. State Department said the missile launch was “inconsistent with Turkey’s responsibilities as a NATO ally and strategic partner of the United States.
A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said, “Our position has always been clear: Having operational S-400 systems is inconsistent with Turkey’s commitments as a U.S. ally and as a NATO ally. We oppose Turkey’s purchase of the system and are deeply concerned about reports that Turkey is fielding the system.”
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the test “unacceptable behavior” from a NATO ally.
Risch said in a statement that the move would harm NATO and directly threaten the U.S. F-35 bomber as well as other U.S. and NATO allies’ systems.
The statement said, “U.S. law requires sanctions against countries that continue to deepen their defense ties with Russia, and the administration should send a strong signal – Turkey must divest its S-400 system.”
Sen. Bob Menendez, the committee’s senior Democratic senator, said in a statement, “Turkey must be sanctioned immediately for its purchase and use of the system.”
Menendez also criticized the Trump administration, saying, “President Trump’s failure to comply with the law and his friendship with (Turkish President) Recep Tayyip Erdogan seriously threaten our national security and the security of our NATO allies and partners in Europe. “
The Turkish Defense Ministry has not confirmed or denied the test firing.
Turkey signed the S-400 agreement with Russia in 2017 and made its first delivery of $2.5 billion worth of missile batteries last July.
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