Senators Urge Pompeo to Sanction Turkey
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to sanction Turkey, saying in a letter that Turkey’s purchase of Russian missile defense systems should be met with consequences. The senators said Turkey’s July purchase of Russian S-400 missile parts (see 1907150039) falls under the scope of the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act.
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“The time for patience has long expired. It is time you applied the law,” the Dec. 2 letter said. “Failure to do so is sending a terrible signal to other countries that they can flout U.S. laws without consequence.”
The senators also expressed fears that Turkey will continue to buy weapons systems from Russia, referencing comments from the head of Overborne, Russia’s state arms exporter, that Russia “hopes to seal a deal to supply Turkey with even more S-400 missile systems,” the letter said. That official also said that Russia's defense supply cooperation with Turkey is “not limited to supply of the J1453. We have big plans ahead,” according to the letter.
In October, the senators announced they would support bipartisan legislation to impose sanctions on Turkey for its actions in Syria and its purchase of Russian defense equipment (see 1910100049). Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the committee will vote next week on a Turkey sanctions bill, according to a Dec. 2 Reuters report.