US worried about sharp rise in imports of military goods from Turkey to Russia - FT
The volume of exports of such goods has at least tripled over the past year
Exports of Turkish military goods to Russia have risen sharply in 2023, raising concerns for the United States and its allies, the Financial Times reports.
In the first nine months of 2023, Turkey exported $158 million worth of goods in 45 categories that the United States considers "high priority" for the Russian defense industry. This is three times more than in the same period in 2022. The average figure for 2015-2021 was $28 million.
According to the documents, dual-use parts are sent to third countries of the former USSR: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. However, the statistical agencies of these countries have not recorded a corresponding increase in imports. The West is convinced that the supplies were actually redirected to Russia.
Formally, intermediary structures allow Turkey to circumvent export controls, according to the publication's sources. Turkish companies purchase high-priority goods from the G7 countries. Imports of such goods increased by more than 60% in 2023.
The newspaper's interlocutors say that the United States has called on Turkey to stop such supplies and has raised the possibility of using coercive measures.
Background. As reported, this week's second visit to Turkey in a year is expected to be made by a senior US Treasury official, Deputy Under Secretary for Counterterrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, to remind Ankara of the risk of US sanctions for cooperation with Russia.
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