President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that US sanctions over Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems was disrespectful to an important ally in NATO, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.
After sources told Reuters that Washington was poised to impose sanctions on Turkey, Anadolu cited Erdogan as saying that Turkey will be patient and see what trend emerges after the new US administration takes office next month.
Two sources familiar with the matter, including a US official speaking on the condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump had given aides the blessing for the sanctions.
The sanctions would target Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries and its head, Ismail Demir, sources have said.
A senior Turkish official said sanctions would backfire and hurt ties between the two NATO members.
"Sanctions would not achieve a result but be counter-productive. They would harm relations," the official said. "Turkey is in favor of solving these problems with diplomacy and negotiations. We won't accept one-sided impositions," he said.
