The transit of Western-sanctioned goods from Türkiye to Russia has been halted this month, a year into the war in Ukraine and after growing objections from the U.S. and Europe, a top export official and a diplomat claimed Monday.
The Turkish government handed companies a list of banned foreign goods and instructed them not to ship them to Russia beginning on March 1, said Çetin Tecdelioğlu, head of the Istanbul Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals Exporters Association (IDDMIB).
"Any goods on that list are blocked for Russia, no matter which country they come from," he told Reuters.
A European Union official said that Ankara had given the European Commission verbal assurance that from March 1, goods would not transit onward to Russia if they are covered by EU, U.S. or U.K. sanctions and export controls.
Western nations slapped record sanctions on Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
Yet supply channels have remained open from Black Sea neighbor Türkiye and other world trading hubs, prompting Washington to warn last month about the export of chemicals, microchips and other products that can be used in Moscow's war effort.
NATO member Ankara has sought to balance its good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv amid the war. It opposes the sanctions on principle but has said they will not be circumvented in Türkiye and that no shipped products can be used by Russia's military.
Kommersant and Vedomosti newspaper, citing Russian logistics companies, last week claimed Ankara had suspended transit of sanctioned cargoes flowing to Russia through its territory.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Russia was in contact with the Turkish authorities regarding the allegations.
"We are currently in contact with the Turkish authorities, I would not make comment, it is necessary to look into the matter," the Tass news agency cited him.
Given the "serious warnings" from Western governments, this was an "opportunity" to avoid a confrontation with the EU, the destination of half of the Turkish exports under a joint customs union, Tecdelioğlu told reporters.
"There was a list of restrictions on re-exports from free trade zones to Russia beginning in March, and an instruction was given," he said.
However, goods produced in Türkiye, even with components from other countries, can still be shipped to Russia without restrictions, Tecdelioğlu added further.
He said Türkiye's new restrictions set off a search among Russian importers for alternative suppliers in Kazakhstan and elsewhere. "They don't care about the cost anymore. They are just trying to finish their products," he said.
Reuters reported last week that Russian companies had flooded Kazakh partners in recent weeks with new requests for some thousands of items banned by the West, with two of the sources citing new Türkiye restrictions.
At least $2.6 billion of computer and other electronic components flowed into Russia in the seven months to Oct. 31, Reuters separately reported in December. At least $777 million of these products were made by Western firms whose chips have been found in Russian weapons systems.
