Posted on 08/06/2022 1:49:27 PM PDT by Mount Athos
Western capitals are more and more alarmed concerning the deepening financial co-operation between Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin, warning of the mounting threat that the Nato member state could possibly be hit by punitive retaliation if it helps Russia keep away from sanctions.
Six western officers informed the Financial Times that they had been involved concerning the pledge made on Friday by the Turkish and Russian leaders to broaden their co-operation on commerce and vitality after a four-hour assembly in Sochi.
One EU official stated that the 27-member bloc was monitoring Turkish-Russian co-operation “more and more closely”, voicing concern that Turkey was “increasingly” turning into a platform for commerce with Russia.
Another described Turkey’s behaviour towards Russia as “very opportunistic”, including: “We are trying to make the Turks pay attention to our concerns.”
Washington has warned repeatedly that it’s going to hit nations that assist Russia to evade sanctions with “secondary sanctions” that focus on violations past the US authorized jurisdiction; nonetheless the EU has been extra reticent about doing this.
US deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo met Turkish officers and Istanbul bankers in June to warn them to not grow to be a conduit for illicit Russian cash.
One senior western official steered that nations might name on their firms and banks to tug out of Turkey if president Erdoğan follows by means of on the commitments he set out on Friday — a extremely uncommon menace towards a fellow Nato member state that might cripple the nation’s $800bn financial system if overseas companies agreed to conform.
The official stated nations which have imposed sanctions on Russia might act towards Ankara by “calling on Western firms to either pull out of relationships in Turkey, or to shrink their relationships with Turkey, in light of the risk that would be created by Turkey expanding their relationship with Russia”.
However that suggestion was dismissed by a number of different western officers, who questioned how it might work in sensible and authorized phrases and whether or not it might be a good suggestion.
Turkey is deeply built-in into the western monetary system and types from Coca-Cola and Ford to Bosch and BP have longstanding and sometimes extremely worthwhile operations within the nation.
“There are very significant economic interests that would probably fight hard against such negative actions,” stated one European official.
But the official added that he would “not rule out any negative actions [if] Turkey gets too close to Russia”.
While he conceded {that a} formal EU choice on sanctions towards Turkey can be difficult given divisions throughout the bloc, he steered that some particular person member states might take motion. “For example they could ask for restrictions on trade finance or ask the large financial companies to reduce finance to Turkish companies,” he stated.
Three European officers stated that there had not but been any official discussions in Brussels about potential repercussions for Turkey. Several others cautioned that the complete particulars and repercussions of the discussions in Sochi weren’t but clear.
The warnings come a day after Putin and Erdoğan — who has pursued what he calls a “balanced” strategy to Kyiv and Moscow because the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February — held a protracted tête-à-tête that culminated in a joint pledge to extend bilateral commerce volumes and deepen financial and vitality ties.
Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak, Moscow’s prime vitality official, informed reporters that Turkey had agreed to start paying for Russia’s fuel in roubles, based on Interfax. Putin and Erdoğan mentioned additional creating banking ties and settlements in roubles and lira, he added.
Speaking on his aircraft again from Russia, Erdoğan informed journalists that there have been additionally “very serious developments” on using Russia’s MIR fee card system, which permits Russians in Turkey to pay by card at a time when Visa and Mastercard have suspended operations of their dwelling nation.
Erdoğan stated that MIR playing cards would assist Russian vacationers to pay for purchasing and lodges. Western officers worry that they is also used to assist bypass sanctions.
Diplomatic relations between Turkey and the west are already strained. Washington hit Ankara with sanctions in 2020 in retaliation for the acquisition of an S-400 air defence system from Moscow, though the measures focused the nation’s defence trade fairly than the broader financial system.
Erdoğan, who has repeatedly threatened to veto Sweden and Finland’s admission into Nato, is considered in lots of western capitals as an more and more unreliable ally. Yet Turkey is a crucial accomplice for Europe on counter terrorism and refugees. The nation hosts round 3.7mn Syrians as a part of a deal struck with the EU in 2016 that helped to stem the movement of migrants to Europe.
The battle between Russia and Ukraine has underlined Turkey’s strategically essential location, controlling entry to the straits that hyperlink the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
Erdoğan additionally performed a key function in securing the grain deal signed by Russia and Ukraine final month which aimed to avert a world meals disaster.
Does anyone expect foreign tyrants NOT to embark on dangerous adventurism and world conquest?
Does anyone expect them NOT to take advantage of the power vacuum?
Does anyone really expect that?
I’m confused. Isn’t Turkiye supplying Kyiv (note my modern spelling, haha) with those highly effective drones?
It’s a private company.
They did give a little away but vast majority sold for money.
The GloboHomoNazis are ALARMED!
As if Biden’s ties to Erdoğan aren’t ‘deepening’.
Turkey is looking out for Turkey, they want to rebuild The Ottoman Empire.
Maybe the Turks are seeing things more the way that things are seen by the Hungarians.
“We have seen what kind of future the globalist, ruling class has to offer. But we have a different future in mind,” Orbán said. “The globalists can all go to hell, I have come to Texas.”
Maybe the EeeeYewwwwwwww should just step away from the WEF/NWO/GreatReset/GreenNewDeal.
“Alarm mounts in western capitals over Turkey’s deepening ties with Russia”
Expected - Countries that have a leader WITH A BRAIN are finding new countries to be friends with. We might as well get used to that.
Turkey endangers itself by cozying up to Russia, just as Russia endangers itself by cozying up to China.
“The GloboHomoNazis are ALARMED!”
Well, YOU better be alarmed because if it is true, it affects YOU! It would affect the West in general.
“Turkey is looking out for Turkey, they want to rebuild The Ottoman Empire.”
Exactly.
Turkey is untrustworthy; always has been.
Turkey is playing the game of “Let you and him fight”, hoping are weakened to the point where Turkey can dominate the Black Sea.
Of course they sold drones for money
Byaktar is Erdogan’s son-in-law
Now they may sell them to Russia, too
“Turkey endangers itself by cozying up to Russia, just as Russia endangers itself by cozying up to China.”
Turkey is a grifter; it is seeing who it can shake down for the most lucre.
I felt that way too, when I was in Turkey.
Turkey just announced that it would pay for Russian gas in rubles.
The Turkstream pipeline is the only one of Russia’s Western gas pipelines that is operating normally.
Turkey and Russia have been on opposite sides in Syria, with Turkey continually trying to annex Kurdish areas (having already effectively annexed Afrin), like Russia is trying to annex more of the Ukraine. Selling out the Kurds (and Assad) to Turkey is probably part of the deal.
Erdogan is like Putin in several ways - rigging the political system to be ruler for life, hyping Nationalism and Imperial expanionism, hugely personally corrupt, with the lion’s share of his personal revenue coming from oil and gas. Cutting Erdogan’s crime family in on oil, gas and gold smuggling; as well as offshore oil and gas around the Mediterranean, are probably part of the deal. Maybe Erdogan will sell out some Ukrainian/NATO Intelligence for enough compensation.
I don’t think Turkey is too key on submitting to the new perversions are us NATO protocols. Turkey, culturally, is much more a BRICS type nation than a decadent western one.
I was at TUSLOG KCDI. Where were you?
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