Trump approves sanctions on Turkish individuals for the purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense system

U.S. President Donald Trump has sanctioned individuals linked to Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries for the purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system.

Specifically, the targeted individuals are İsmail Demir, Mustafa Alper Deniz, Serhat Gençoğlu and Faruk Yiğit.

Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries also cannot:

• Get export licenses from the US

• Loans from the US financial institutions

• Loans from international institutes

• EXIM bank loans

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said "Despite our warnings, Turkey moved ahead with its purchase and testing of the S-400 system from Russia."

"Today’s sanctions on Turkey's SSB demonstrates the U.S. will fully implement CAATSA. We will not tolerate significant transactions with Russia's defense sector," he added.

CAATSA is the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, and have also been applied against China and Russia.

It was first expected that Trump would veto the sanctions.

In a media release, Pompeo said CAATSA is being applied against Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) for "knowingly engaging in a significant transaction with Rosoboronexport, Russia's main arms export entity, by procuring the S-400 surface-to-air missile system."

"The United States made clear to Turkey at the highest levels and on numerous occasions that its purchase of the S-400 system would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia's defense sector, as well as Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry," the statement continued.

"Today's action sends a clear signal that the United States will fully implement CAATSA Section 231 and will not tolerate significant transactions with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors," the statement added.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has always said it rejects and condemns the U.S.' unilateral sanctions.