US officials are pressuring Ankara to stop any kind of service of the American-made Russian airplanes in Turkey, as well as to let them into the country. The Wall Street Journal reported this on Thursday, citing sources.
According to it, senior US officials warned that Turkish nationals risk jail time, fines and loss of export privileges if they provide refueling and spare parts for US-made aircraft flying to and from Russia and Belarus in violation of export controls imposed in 2022, the officials said. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Thea Rozman Kendler conveyed the message to Turkish officials during a December visit to Turkey, sources told the newspaper.
The Wall Street Journal stresses that the attempt to pressure Turkey is a key test of whether the US and its allies can succeed in isolating Russia over the long term, or whether Moscow will find a way to continue its economic activities with the help of other countries.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry did not respond to the newspaper's request for comment on the US warning.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
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Based on materials from TASS