He told this publication high-ranking Turkish official on condition of anonymity.
According to Bloomberg, Turkey became one of the main re-exporters of goods for Russia last year. Then the trade turnover exceeded $9 billion. In 2021, this figure was approaching $6 billion, the agency noted.
Now the Turkish cargo clearance system “simply stopped working,” Ekaterina Lazutkina, co-owner of a Moscow shipping company, told the agency. According to her, the customs system blocks goods destined for Russia.
Executive Director of the Istanbul Customs Brokerage Subasi Mustafa Boyacioglu also told the agency about the blocking. He said there was no official announcement or transition period, which caused confusion among the companies.
Previously Bloomberg wrote that the United States is increasing pressure on Turkey and the UAE because of trade with Russia. The interlocutor of the agency said that on February 2 and 3, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson met with Turkish officials to discuss the growing volume of exports of goods to Russia. The deputy finance minister became the third high-ranking official to visit Ankara in a year to force it to comply with US sanctions, Bloomberg noted.
The Wall Street Journal, citing trade data, wrote that Turkey supplied electrical equipment, components and other American-made goods to Russia. According to the newspaper, at least 13 Turkish companies sold plastics, rubber products and vehicles worth about $18.5 million to the Russian Federation. They were received by Russian firms that are under US sanctions due to their involvement in the attack on Ukraine.
