The anti-Turkish US sanctions are designed to a greater extent on potential buyers of Russian S-400 air defense systems and are unlikely to force Turkey to abandon the second contract with the Russian Federation, Igor Korotchenko, director of the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO), told RIA Novosti.
Earlier, the United States imposed sanctions against the secretariat of the defense industry of Turkey and its head Ismail Demir, as well as against three more officials in Turkey for Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense systems.
“The sanctions imposed by Washington against Turkey are a vivid example of the unfair competition of the United States of America in the global arms market. The main task of these sanctions is to warn other countries that purchases of Russian long-range S-400 systems may be fraught with corresponding actions from the United States”, – said Korotchenko.
According to him, similar American Patriot complexes “are inferior in all basic indicators” to Russian systems. Therefore, the United States, unable to compete fairly, uses sanctions mechanisms.
“At the same time, the competition on the part of the United States is carried out by the method of demonstrating a club, with the help of which they will strike at all those states and government officials, political leaders who make a choice in favor of the S-400”, – the expert noted.
“Nevertheless, I believe that in practical terms, this will in no way affect Turkey’s desire to conclude the second contract for the purchase of the S-400, which is currently being discussed”, – Korotchenko added.
He also recalled that several contracts are currently being implemented for the supply of S-400s to a number of states that remain adherents of military-technical cooperation with Russia, “despite Washington’s displeasure”.
Deliveries of the latest Russian S-400 air defense systems, which caused a crisis in Turkey’s relations with the United States, began in mid-July 2019. Washington demanded to abandon the deal and purchase American Patriot systems in return, threatening to delay or even cancel the sale of the latest F-35 fighters to Turkey, as well as to impose sanctions in accordance with CAATSA (the law “On Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions”). Ankara refused to make concessions and continued negotiations on an additional batch of S-400.