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U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo urged Turkey not to make the S-400 missile defense system it purchased from Russia “operational” as President Donald Trump holds off on implementing new sanctions required by law, Bloomberg reports.

“There could be more sanctions to follow but frankly what we’d really like is for the S-400 not to become operational,” Pompeo said Thursday in an interview on Bloomberg Television.

Pompeo has to contend with a rift between Trump and U.S. lawmakers on the best way to respond to Turkey’s decision to buy the Russian system. The U.S. has long said Turkey’s move is incompatible with its role in both NATO and the F-35 jet program, though Trump has also signaled he’s reluctant to put more sanctions on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Pompeo’s focus on Turkey not making the Russian system “operational” appears to signal a step back from the previous U.S. focus on Ankara not accepting components of the missile defense system and may be an attempt at forging a compromise. Turkey has not yet received the actual missiles for the system.

Nevertheless, last month the U.S. said it is suspending Turkey from a joint-production agreement to buy and help build the Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35. Turkey was expected to purchase more than 100 of the stealthy next-generation fighters.