US pressuring Turkey to impose anti-Russian sanctions

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Turkish economist Bartu Soral said, on Tuesday, that Washington is exerting strained efforts to pressure Ankara to join sanctions against Russia, confirming that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still pursuing his own, independent policy toward Moscow.

"Our economy is based not on planned production, but on unplanned trade. In other words, there is an understanding of an economy based on trade rather than manufacturing. There is no plan anyway. The US is putting pressure on us, demanding an embargo against Russia, but there are no serious sanctions," Soral said as quoted by the Turkish newspaper Aydinlik. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the economist argued that if a poll is conducted among Turkish people; it will show that "anti-American and anti-Western sentiments are at their peak".

On Turkey's partnership with BRICS, the economist said he believes that "the employees he [Erdogan] is working with do not treat Turkey's growing cooperation with Shanghai and the BRICS countries with the same warmth. Despite this fact, they also realize that maintaining their positions depends on Erdogan's election victory, and the election victory depends on the absence of any sanctions against Russia." 

In October 2022, US officials, in talks with their Turkish counterparts, addressed compliance with financial sanctions imposed on Russia regarding the war in Ukraine - this was one of the moves from the West to pressure Turkey into taking a tougher stance towards Russia. 

Turkey, after the war, has been deepening its economic and trade ties with Russia, prompting Western worries. Since the start of the Ukraine war, Ankara has never approved of Western-imposed sanctions on Russia, going as far as critiquing the West's approach in undermining the strength of Russia. 

It is worth noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lately emphasized Ankara's unique role in global affairs, stressing that Turkey was the only country capable of resolving the vital issue of the Black Sea grain corridor.

"Our work isn’t done. When everyone was attacking Russia, we did not. On the contrary, we maintained our ties with Mr. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. In fact, he made a nice offer, saying, 'Let me send grain for free’," said Erdogan.