US senators call for sanctions on Turkey over S-400s

ANKARA

Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen called on the Trump administration on Dec. 2 to impose sanctions on Ankara over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems.

"The time for patience has long expired. It is time you applied the law," Van Hollen and Graham said in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Reuters reported on Dec. 3.

"Failure to do so is sending a terrible signal to other countries that they can flout U.S. laws without consequence," they said.

Tensions rose between Ankara and Washington when the former decided the acquire the S-400s. While U.S. says the Russian system poses a threat to its F-35 fighter jets, Turkey has repeatedly said the procurement will not be a problem for the program.

Washington has warned that Ankara will face sanctions over its purchase of the S-400s, and has suspended Turkey from the F-35 program, in which it was a customer and manufacturer.

It has yet to impose any sanctions on Turkey, which began receiving the Russian systems in July.