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U.S. tells Turkey not to help circumvent Russian sanctions

The United States have warned Turkey against working with sanctioned Russians or Russian banks, in a letter from the U.S. Treasury to Turkish business associations.

In a letter, US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo (picture) warned Turkish banks and companies that they may face secondary sanctions. He wrote:

“Any individuals or entities providing material support to US-designated persons are themselves at risk of US sanctions. (…)

“Turkish banks cannot expect to establish corresponding relationships with sanctioned Russian banks and retain their corresponding relationships with major global banks as well as access to the US dollar and other major currencies.”

In response, Nureddin Nebati, the Minister of Finance and Treasury of Turkey responded:

“Turkey is one of the most important political and economic power centers in the world. Our business world should always feel the power of its state with it”

In June, Erdogan’s foreign policy adviser Ibrahim Kalin stated:

“Our economy is such that imposing sanctions on Russia would harm Turkey the most.”

“We have taken a clear approach. Right now, the Westerners have accepted this.”

 

Picture: Wikimedia (Copyright: By United States Department of the Treasury – https://home.treasury.gov/about/general-information/officials/Wally-Adeyemo, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108367370 )