US President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law a $738 billion defence bill which includes controversial provisions calling for sanctions against Russia and Turkey.
Trump approved the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will increase the US military spending by about $20 billion, or about 2.8 per cent, at a signing ceremony held at the Joint Base Andrews near Washington, Xinhua news agency reported.
The bill notes that the “(NDAA) protects European energy security by imposing sanctions related to Russian energy pipelines Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream”.
Despite facing potential sanctions, Russia and Germany have reaffirmed their commitments to complete the Nord Stream 2 project and put it into operation.
Last week, in Washington Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said that “neither Nord Stream 2 nor TurkStream will stop”.
The bill also renewed a decision to exclude Turkey from the US-led F-35 fighter jet program in retaliation against Ankara’s acquisition of Russia’s S-400 air defence system.
It also claimed that the Trump administration should impose sanctions on Turkey over the S-400 purchase.
Earlier this week, Turkey had accused the US Congress of “hostile” behaviour after senators passed the NDAA.
In July this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the controversial delivery of the S-400 Russian missile defense system despite the threat of US sanctions as Turkey marked the third anniversary of a bloody coup attempt.
The anniversary comes at a difficult moment for Erdogan. He faces a weakened economy, worsening relations with NATO ally the United States over the S-400 purchase, and a humiliating loss for his party in the recent Istanbul local election.
The S-400 missile defence system deal could result in US sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) instituted by the US Congress on arms purchases from Russia.
President Erdogan had earlier said that there have been no delays in the delivery of Russian S-400 air defence missiles to Turkey.
The NDAA has remained one of the few authorization bills that Congress passes year after year.
On Wednesday, President Trump was impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years.
(With inputs from agency)