American sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of a missile defence system from Russia was long expected, but not meant to close the door to resolving lingering differences.

On December 14, the United States levied sanctions against Turkey’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and several top officials for their role in acquiring the Russian system. On the surface, these sanctions appear rather limited in their chosen targets and the impact they may have on the Turkish economy, but a more damaging blow may not have been the intention.

John Parachini, a senior international and defense researcher at the RAND Corporation think tank, suggests that the sanctions placed on Turkey are important but the more meaningful punishment in his view came already.