Russia turns to Turkiye to lessen sanctions’ impact, Washington Post says

Russia is turning to Turkiye as it tries to decrease the harming level of Western sanctions to its economy following its invasion of Ukraine, Washington Post says in an in-depth news analysis piece.

According to the analysis, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is set to meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Sochi on Friday to strengthen economic ties with a NATO nation that has not joined in imposing sanctions on Moscow.

Russia hopes Turkiye will agree to new channels to help it avoid those restrictions on its banking, energy and industrial sectors, the analysis added.

Shared on WP by Ukraine diplomats, Putin’s proposal calls for Erdogan’s government to permit Russia to buy stakes in Turkish oil refineries, oil terminals and reservoirs.

On the other hand, there is no indication that Turkiye would support these arrangements since they would risk of Turkiye’s Western relations and the country’s access to Western markets.

READ: Rare-earth geopolitics and potential role of Turkiye