**EU presses Turkey to align on Russia sanctions. Ankara is the only Nato ally not to impose restrictions on Moscow**
*European Commission chief von der Leyen said the bloc would go after those helping Russia circumvent sanctions, be they individuals or companies, even if based in non-EU countries*
When Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday that Brussels would target those trying to circumvent EU sanctions on Moscow, it sounded very much like a warning to people in Turkey, write Laura Pitel in Ankara and Sam Fleming in Brussels.
Speaking about the latest package of European sanctions, adopted last week, she said: “In third countries, if you take European goods, bring them to third countries, and then bring them to Russia, the person who does that or entity that does that will be listed by us. This is a very strong deterrent to make sure we don’t have a circumvention through third countries toward Russia.”
Western officials have grown increasingly anxious that Turkey could be serving as a backdoor for evasion of sanctions aimed at punishing Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. The country is the only Nato member state not to have signed up to the sanctions regime. And, as part of the EU customs union that also has strong economic and political links with Moscow, it offers a possible loophole for western or Turkish businesses that want to sell goods into Russia.
Exports from Turkey to Russia have soared since the start of Putin’s invasion in February. The value of exports from Turkey to the country more than doubled year on year in August, rising to $949mn, up from $451mn in August 2021. In July this year the figure was $729mn.
The EU’s financial services commissioner, Mairead McGuinness, visited Ankara last week to deliver her own message to Turkish officials on this issue.
She told the Financial Times that officials in Turkey “understood very well that it is in all of our interests to make sure that the customs union is not used to circumvent sanctions at the EU level”. But she added: “We also want to be aware and not naive that there is a potential for circumvention.”
European officials are crunching the numbers to see if “products that we have sanctioned, or components of products or dual-use goods that potentially assist Russia” are making their way to Russia via the customs union, McGuinness said.
Some in Turkey are sceptical that Brussels is willing to take harsh steps to punish sanctions evasion in the country.
[removed]
I’m buying a spade and start digging.
Considering we occupy half of an EU member, that is already well established isn’t it? lol
Türkiye (hah) will go down with its master mutt.
No EU, getting kicked out of NATO and degraded to a 4th world country.
It’s a week old article and already posted here. You should check it before posting.
Journalist: and the inflation…
Politician: BUT BORDERS!
J: although…
P: BORDERS!
J: the i…
P: WE NEED MORE LAND!
Now? This has been an issue for ages. It even came close to war in the 90s.
Was this article written by Internet Explorer? It’s very old news, especially for Cyprus.
Far rigth extermist words who represent bellow 8% how long being offered as govermental disscussion? And you guys say european news were free uh ohm okey…
If it wasn’t for NATO, Turkey would be in some gutter
“Lebensraum” OLD BUT GOLD
Turkey is very important to NATO because only the tip is in Europa, EU always been Turk.
15 comments
WWIII time boys and girls! Draw the lines!
**EU presses Turkey to align on Russia sanctions. Ankara is the only Nato ally not to impose restrictions on Moscow**
*European Commission chief von der Leyen said the bloc would go after those helping Russia circumvent sanctions, be they individuals or companies, even if based in non-EU countries*
https://www.ft.com/content/eb64609f-862c-4fc9-ac90-8cf93e209229
—
When Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday that Brussels would target those trying to circumvent EU sanctions on Moscow, it sounded very much like a warning to people in Turkey, write Laura Pitel in Ankara and Sam Fleming in Brussels.
Speaking about the latest package of European sanctions, adopted last week, she said: “In third countries, if you take European goods, bring them to third countries, and then bring them to Russia, the person who does that or entity that does that will be listed by us. This is a very strong deterrent to make sure we don’t have a circumvention through third countries toward Russia.”
Western officials have grown increasingly anxious that Turkey could be serving as a backdoor for evasion of sanctions aimed at punishing Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. The country is the only Nato member state not to have signed up to the sanctions regime. And, as part of the EU customs union that also has strong economic and political links with Moscow, it offers a possible loophole for western or Turkish businesses that want to sell goods into Russia.
Exports from Turkey to Russia have soared since the start of Putin’s invasion in February. The value of exports from Turkey to the country more than doubled year on year in August, rising to $949mn, up from $451mn in August 2021. In July this year the figure was $729mn.
The EU’s financial services commissioner, Mairead McGuinness, visited Ankara last week to deliver her own message to Turkish officials on this issue.
She told the Financial Times that officials in Turkey “understood very well that it is in all of our interests to make sure that the customs union is not used to circumvent sanctions at the EU level”. But she added: “We also want to be aware and not naive that there is a potential for circumvention.”
European officials are crunching the numbers to see if “products that we have sanctioned, or components of products or dual-use goods that potentially assist Russia” are making their way to Russia via the customs union, McGuinness said.
Some in Turkey are sceptical that Brussels is willing to take harsh steps to punish sanctions evasion in the country.
[removed]
I’m buying a spade and start digging.
Considering we occupy half of an EU member, that is already well established isn’t it? lol
Türkiye (hah) will go down with its master mutt.
No EU, getting kicked out of NATO and degraded to a 4th world country.
Good job, Erdowahn.
[removed]
[https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/xwlyem/after_russia_now_turkey_questions_europes/](https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/xwlyem/after_russia_now_turkey_questions_europes/)
It’s a week old article and already posted here. You should check it before posting.
Journalist: and the inflation…
Politician: BUT BORDERS!
J: although…
P: BORDERS!
J: the i…
P: WE NEED MORE LAND!
Now? This has been an issue for ages. It even came close to war in the 90s.
Was this article written by Internet Explorer? It’s very old news, especially for Cyprus.
Far rigth extermist words who represent bellow 8% how long being offered as govermental disscussion? And you guys say european news were free uh ohm okey…
If it wasn’t for NATO, Turkey would be in some gutter
“Lebensraum” OLD BUT GOLD
Turkey is very important to NATO because only the tip is in Europa, EU always been Turk.