Turkey won’t back down from its purchase of Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding that Ankara is weighing how to respond to recent US sanctions.

On Monday the Donald Trump administration slapped limited sanctions on Turkey over its multibillion-dollar purchase from Moscow. The long-awaited sanctions, issued under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), targeted the country’s defense procurement agency (SSB) and its senior officials.

Asked by broadcaster Kanal 24 whether Turkey would reverse its S-400 arrangement with Russia in light of the sanctions, Cavusoglu said, “If we were going to step back we would have done so before now.” 

Washington says the systems, acquired from Russia in 2019, pose a threat to NATO’s air defense capabilities and may compromise the security of its own F-35 stealth fighter jets. The Trump administration kicked Turkey out of the joint strike fighter program last year and has repeatedly warned Ankara it risked congressionally mandated sanctions. Despite the threats, Turkey tested the S-400 systems in October.