WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to reports from Turkish media that Turkey, a member of NATO, has conducted live fire testing of a Russian-made S-400 air defense system.

“This was predictable because President Trump has made a habit of undermining NATO and refused to hold President Erdogan accountable.  But it’s still alarming.  In addition to testing Russian made air defenses, Turkey is also testing the Trump Administration and it requires a robust response.  At a minimum, sanctions under CAATSA should be enforced and the U.S. should send a clear message that Turkey’s actions are unacceptable.”

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) requires sanctions on nations who do business with Russia’s defense sector.