ANKARA: Turkey has promised to bar the re-export of Western goods to Moscow after the recent warning by the US State Department over sanctions submission, Western media reported on Sunday.
However, Turkey which is set to hold elections on May 14, will still supply domestic goods to Russia.
US-Turkey ties
Turkey-Russia ties are once again in the attention, with Turkey’s apparent neutrality on war in Ukraine proving a source of tension with the Washington.
Reuters reported that James O’Brien, chief of the State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination, said that officials of Turkey have been “very clear” regarding the ban on the re-export of Western items to Moscow.
Earlier, the Istanbul Exporters Association said that the government of Turkey provided firms with a list of foreign goods that are prohibited from being provided to Russia.
Reports suggest that the development came soon following a trip by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Turkey.
Reports suggest that Turkey also assured to the European Commission that sanctioned goods will not be sent to Moscow from March.
However, this restriction will not cover items made in Turkey, which contain constituents from other nations that can still be sent to Moscow without any limitation.
The US remains cautious and is also committed to monitoring Ankara trade data with Moscow from March and April.
Several top US officials have visited Ankara since the Ukraine war to ask the Turkish private sector comply with Washington sanctions on Moscow.
