Pentagon warns Turkey of ‘serious consequences’

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Friday strongly condemned the test of a Russian-made S-400 missile defence system by Nato ally Turkey and warned of “serious consequences.”

“The US Department of Defence condemns in the strongest possible terms Turkey’s October 16 test of the S-400 air defence system,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said.

“We object to Turkey’s testing of this system, which risks serious consequences for our security relationship,” Hoffman said. “We have been clear and unwavering in our position: an operational S-400 system is not consistent with Turkey’s commitments as a US and Nato Ally.”

“Turkey has already been suspended from the F-35 program and the S-400 continues to be a significant barrier to progress elsewhere in the bilateral relationship,” Hoffman said.

The Pentagon reaction came several hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that tests of the S-400, which was delivered to Turkey by Russia last year, had been carried out by the Turkish armed forces.

“It is true about the tests, they have been done and will continue,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul. “We’re not going to ask America for permission.”

Erdogan stressed that the US stance on the S-400 issue “did not

We object to Turkey’s testing of this system, which risks serious consequences for our security relationship” Jonathan hoffman, Pentagon spokesman

bind” Turkey, adding: “If we’re not going to test what we have in our hands, what else would we do?”

There had been hope in Washington that Ankara would keep the missile system “in the box” but Turkey has always insisted the S-400s would be deployed after their delivery last year.

The S-400 test came despite repeated warnings of sanctions from the US State Department if the system was activated.

Turkey faces potential sanctions under a 2017 law known as CAATSA, which mandates sanctions for any “significant” purchases of weapons from Russia.

Turkey had already been removed from the F-35 fighter jet programm over the S-400 purchase.

The S-400 tests come at a particularly tense time in Turkey’s relationships with Nato allies the US, France and Germany, after Ankara resumed gas exploration this month in waters disputed by another alliance member, Greece.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that Turkey and Greece have agreed to cancel rival military exercises that were to have been held next week on their respective national days.

“This is a very welcome step,” Stoltenberg said after a videoconference of Nato defence ministers, including Greece’s Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Turkey’s Hulusi Akar. —