Erdogan and Trump
Erdogan and TrumpReuters

A US Senate committee on Wednesday backed legislation to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system.

The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted by 18-4 to send the “Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019” for a vote in the full Senate, according to Reuters.

Both Trump’s fellow Republicans and Democrats are angry about Turkey’s S-400 purchase, which they see as a threat to NATO defenses.

The first parts of the S-400 air defense system were delivered to Turkey in July. Russia then delivered a second battery of S-400s in August.

Turkey, for its part, has made clear it will use the Russian system despite US threats of sanctions.

On Wednesday Ankara promised to retaliate against any US sanctions over its purchase of the S-400 and said they would not affect its use of the Russian systems.

“It is understood that members of (the U.S.) Congress have shut their eyes and ears to the truth,” Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said, according to Reuters.

To become law, the legislation would have to pass the House of Representatives, which passed its own Turkish sanctions bill by an overwhelming 403-16 vote in October and be signed by President Donald Trump.