Greece has Soviet S-300, but will not be sanctioned, the US said

 Greece will not be sanctioned by the US because of the Soviet S-300 system acquired by Russia. This information was provided by the US Department of State. The answer was given to a question from the Hellas Journal website to a representative of the State Department.

The US has confirmed that the acquired S-300 does not fall under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act [CAATSA]. The State Department spokesman said the acquisition of the S-300 took place in the 1990s. CAATSA sanctions significant arms purchases made on or after August 2, 2017, the State Department spokesman said in a statement. In his statement, the spokesman also said that the US is committed to encouraging NATO allies to ensure their interoperability.

Over the past few days, the Turkish military has claimed that its F-16 jets have been radar-locked by the Greek Air Force. The first time during a flight within the framework of a NATO mission, the second time several F-16s were radar-locked precisely by the S-300 stationed in Cyprus. Both accusations came within just two days of each other.

However, the US was upset by Turkish claims and did not support them. However, the USA did not support Greece either. A State Department spokesman said he was aware of the allegations. In his statement, the State Department spokesman reminded Greece and Turkey that both countries should work for peace in the region, especially since they are NATO allies. “We call on all parties to refrain from rhetoric and actions that could further escalate tensions,” were part of the words of the State Department spokesperson.