Turkey Rules Out Sanctioning Russia, Citing Risk to Economy
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Sunday said Turkey would not join Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine – and the West needs to understand how sanctions would hit its economy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) during Russia-Ukrainian-Turkish diplomatic talks. Photo: EPA-EFE/RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that Ankara will not join Western sanctions against Russia.
“We did not join sanctions as a matter of principle and have no intention of joining [them],” Cavusoglu told a press conference. Cavusoglu said sanctions will not resolve problems and will damage the Turkish economy.
“Our counterparts ask whether we will join these sanctions, and we explain to them how these sanctions will affect our economy and [business] sectors,” he said.
Turkey continues…
