Turkey will not be able to shoulder cost of US sanctions over S-400 purchase – U.S. official

Washington has threatened to impose economic sanctions against Turkey under CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)

 

Turkey will not be able to bear potential U.S. sanctions over its looming purchase of Russian S-400 defence systems and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should not sacrifice the country’s economy over for anti-U.S. sentiments, consultant to the U.S. Department of State John Sitilides told U.S.-government funded news outlet Voice of America Turkish.

“If Turkey formally enters a recession, it may be forced to take out a loan from the IMF to save its economy,’’ Sitilides said, adding that uncontrollable inflation, unemployment and a serious debt crisis are knocking on Ankara’s door.

The statement from Sitilides joins that of a chorus of top U.S. officials in warning that Ankara’s purchase of the Russian system could lead to U.S. sanctions and place Turkey’s involvement in the F-35 fighter jet program at risk.

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