US Warns Turkey of 'Consequences' for Military Supplies to Russia
Official Washington has warned Turkey of certain consequences if the country does not stop exporting US equipment to Russia, which is essential to the Kremlin's military machine.
This was reported by the Financial Times.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matthew Axelrod, who has been a leading advocate for keeping sensitive technology out of the hands of America's enemies, recently met with Turkish officials and leaders in Ankara and Istanbul as part of efforts to curb the illegal trade.
His message, according to a Commerce Department official, was that Turkey should do more to curb the trade in US-origin chips and other parts that play a key role in Russia's war against Ukraine.
"We need Turkey to help stop the illegal flow of American technology to Russia. We need to see progress, and fast, from the Turkish government and industry, or we will have no choice but to impose consequences on those who evade our export controls," Axelrod told the FT.
The US, EU and other Western partners have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Turkey has waived restrictions and increased trade with Russia since the start of the great war, the article says.
The United States is particularly concerned that Turkey has become a key hub for Western-made electronics, including processors, memory cards, and amplifiers, to enter Russia and later be found in Russian missiles and drones. Machine tools are another important area of concern.
Axelrod informed the Turkish government that this trade is an "urgent problem" and called on Ankara to "adopt and enforce a ban on the transshipment of US-controlled goods to Russia". He added that Moscow is "trying to use Turkey's trade policy" to access US parts.
The US Department of Commerce has already added 18 Turkish companies to its "blacklist" over the trade, and more could be added in the future "if and when there is no progress".
Turkey's Ministry of Commerce declined to comment on the US allegations, the FT reports.