Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday condemned U.S. sanctions against Turkey over the purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense missiles as “illegitimate”.
“This is, of course, another manifestation of an arrogant attitude towards international law, a manifestation of illegitimate, unilateral coercive measures that the United States has been using for many years, already decades, left and right,” Lavrov said according to Russian news agencies.
“And, of course, this does not add, I think, to the credibility of the United States in the international arena as a responsible participant… including in the field of military-technology cooperation,” Lavrov added.
Washington on Monday announced sanctions on fellow NATO member Turkey, saying it was banning all U.S. export licenses to the Presidency of Defense Industries and refusing any visas for the agency’s president, Ismail Demir.
Russia last year delivered the S-400 air defense system to Ankara, despite warnings that it is not compatible with Turkey’s membership in the NATO alliance.
Turkey’s foreign ministry on Monday said that the U.S. sanctions were “unfair” and called for “dialogue and diplomacy” instead.