US may impose sanctions on Turkey

A day after the US removed Turkey from F-53 fighter jets programme, President Donald Trump on Thursday said it has not ruled out imposing sanction on Ankara over its purchase of Russia S-400 jets.

"It's a very, very difficult situation for a lot of reasons... So, we're looking at it. We'll see what we do. We haven't announced that yet," Al Jazeera quoted Trump as saying.

The White House on Wednesday said that Turkey decision to buy a Russian S-400 air defence system "renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible". A Russian S-400 air defence system "renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible".

Meanwhile, Turkey expressed unease over Washington's decision to remove Turkey from the joint strike fighter programme.

Defying the US pressure, Turkey, last week, received the first shipment of S-400 air defence missile system equipment from Russia.

The components arrived at the Murted military airfield outside Ankara on Friday, Ankara's Ministry of National Defense was cited by Russia Times as saying.

The United States had warned Turkey to face "very real and very negative consequences" if it will finalise the purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defence systems.

Turkey has repeatedly rejected US ultimatums for cancelling S-400 shipments and the purchase of American Patriot batteries instead.

In December 2017, Moscow and Ankara signed a loan agreement for the delivery of S-400 air defence systems to Turkey. Since then, the United States and NATO have criticised

Turkey's move, citing security concerns and incompatibility with NATO air defence systems.

Washington had earlier threatened Turkey with sanctions for its planned acquisition of S-400s and repeatedly said it may delay or cancel the sales of F-35 aircraft to Ankara. Turkey is one of the seven states that participate in the F-35 program.