American Democratic senator Bob Menendez said that the US would impose sanctions against Turkey if it purchases Russian S400s air defense systems, and excluded the delivery of fifth-generation F-35 aircraft, RIA Novosti reported.

According to him, if President Erdogan insists on purchasing the S400 anti-missile system and completing its purchase and installation, then sanctions will be imposed on the basis of the bill that was originally introduced to Congress.

Menendez is in Athens, where on Monday the President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos will receive him. Earlier, the US senator visited Cyprus and met the President Nikos Anastasiadis.

Menendez, a few days ago, together with the Republican senator Marco Rubio presented to the Congress the Law on Security and Energy Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The bill provides for the abolition of the ban on the sale of weapons to Cyprus. The bill prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Ankara if Turkey continues to implement plans for the S-400.

According to him, Turkey must make its choice as it can remain an important ally in NATO, continue to focus on the West, or move away.

Earlier, Turkey said it would not abandon plans to buy S-400. The United States claims that the S-400 systems are incompatible with NATO standards, and threatens with sanctions. Turkey is one of the participants in the US F-35 international program. Turkey has also repeatedly stated that the S-400 does not pose a threat to the F-35s.