1
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on August 5, where the two leaders agreed to boost bilateral trade. Erdogan declared that Russian-Turkish relations had reached a new level. According to a joint statement issued following the meeting, the presidents underlined their shared desire to further expand relations. The deepening of economic ties between the two countries is raising alarm bells in the West and may result in sanctions against Turkey, Vedomosti writes.
According to the Financial Times, Western leaders have threatened Ankara with sanctions if it helps Russia to evade restrictions. A source in Western governments told the newspaper that the measures could begin with informal directives to Western banks and financial institutions to reduce financial dealings with Turkish counterparts.
It will be "extremely stupid" if the United States and its allies decide to impose sanctions on Ankara, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine Fyodor Lukyanov told Vedomosti. Turkey pursues an independent policy and prioritizes its interests, which include maintaining constructive relations with everyone: Russia, Ukraine, and the West. This position enables Ankara to do things that no other country can, such as act as an intermediary in settling the issue of Ukrainian grain exports, according to the expert.
Turkey serves as an important logistics hub for Russia, which is one of the reasons for the nations' increased turnover, Director of Programs at the Russian International Affairs Council Ivan Timofeev said. Turkish companies are actively exploring the space left by Western businesses who have exited the Russian market. Secondary sanctions on Turkey, according to Timofeev, will not have any substantial impact - Ankara may just create special enterprises and legal entities to do business with Russia, thus the US banning them would have little effect, the expert noted.
https://tass.com/pressreview/1490643
Bookmarks