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When sanctions aimed at Russia hit a US ally
Summary
A look back at the 14 December 2020 decision to use CAATSA against Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems.
What did it mean when Washington turned a law aimed at its adversaries on a partner? On 14 December 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States had imposed sanctions on Turkey over its acquisition of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia.
The tool was the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, known as CAATSA. The law imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, and works by preventing U.S. companies from doing business with sanctioned entities. The Senate passed it on 27 July 2017 by 98 votes to 2, after the House approved it 419 to 3. President Donald Trump signed it on 2 August 2017, though he believed the legislation was "seriously flawed".
The 14 December 2020 announcement was the first time CAATSA had been used to penalise a U.S. ally. That distinction is what made the day notable. A law passed with overwhelming congressional majorities to pressure Moscow and two other states was now applied to a country whose purchase of Russian weapons was the stated reason for the measures.
For readers in Kyiv and across the region, the episode showed how arms deals with Russia could carry consequences even for a partner of Washington.
