WASHINGTON DC: This week, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on five Turkish companies and a Turkish national for helping Russia evade sanctions imposed for its war on Ukraine.
The targeted shipping and trading companies are accused of helping to repair sanctioned vessels linked to Russia’s Defense Ministry and facilitating the transfer of “dual-use goods”.
The move, part of a wider package of measures hitting Russia with sanctions against more than 150 targets, came at a sensitive moment for US-Turkey relations, with Washington hoping Ankara will ratify NATO membership for Sweden.
Despite the sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, supply channels from Black Sea neighbor Turkey and other trade hubs have remained open.
In a statement, the U.S. Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on Turkey-based companies Margiana Insaat Dis Ticaret and Demirci Bilisim Ticaret Sanayi because Russia relies on them to import “much-needed dual-use goods to enable its unprovoked war of aggression over Ukraine.”
The State Department also targeted the Turkey-based shipbuilding agency ID Ship Agency, its owner Ilker Dogruyol and CTL Limited for being an intermediary shipping US and European-made electronic components to Russia.
NATO member Turkey has tried to maintain good relations with Moscow and Kiev during the war and has in principle opposed the sanctions against Russia. However, Ankara has said it will not circumvent the sanctions, and the Russian military cannot use the supplied products.
Turkey’s ties with the United States and Europe have been strained by its reluctance to support bids by Sweden and Finland to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine. While Finland’s membership was confirmed in April, Sweden’s application is being held up by Turkey and Hungary.
Source: sn.dk