Ankara is under Washington’s “microscope”, as distrust is evident if it really continues to make it easier for Moscow to escape Western economic sanctions.

THE Turkey has agreed to put an end to it transit of Western goods bound for Russia following pressure on Ankara from Group of Seven (G7) countries, a senior US official said, warning that Washington would monitor Turkey-Russia trade data pending of reducing them.

James O’Brien, head of the State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination, told Reuters that Turkish officials had been “very clear” with numerous governments and agencies, stressing that they have put in place a prohibition of re-export of goods, which are subject to sanctions, with their final destination being Russia.

However, Washington doesn’t see yet the impact of this Turkish measure, the American official noted.

“That’s going to take us a while to see, but we’re going to look at the trade data from March and April and we’d expect to see those trades drop dramatically,” O’Brien said, saying: “Everything they are about numbers. That’s all I care about.”

The US and its allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, yet supply channels remain open from neighboring Turkey on the Black Sea and from other trade hubs, including Hong Kong.

The Turkish government has handed companies a list of foreign goods subject to sanctions and ordered them not to offload them to Russia, with the government order taking effect on March 1, the Istanbul Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters Association said last month. .

Ankara’s move comes after Washington and other members of the G7, the Group of Seven largest economies, tried to persuade third countries to limit sales of items that Russia can reuse on the battlefield.

NATO member Turkey has sought since the start of the Russian invasion to maintain good relations with both Moscow and Kiev.

He opposes Western sanctions on principle, but has made it clear that they will not be bypassed through Turkey and that no products sent can be used by the Russian military.

Senior US officials including US Undersecretary of the Treasury Wally Adejemo have traveled to Turkey since the Russian invasion and have repeatedly warned Turkish businesses and banks against enforcing US restrictions against Russia.

Kazakhstan and UAE transactions with Russia are also being monitored

O’Brien also said Kazakhstan has also announced a policy to review and identify trade transactions that may violate sanctions, adding that Washington expects to see improvements in that Asian country as well.

The United Arab Emirates has also said it will review its trade with Russia, but has not committed to taking action, the head of the State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination said. Washington has previously cited the UAE’s “inadequate compliance with sanctions”.

“We make it clear that she is a top priority for the G7 – Russia is using these commodities to make weapons,” O’Brien said.

He added that because goods are destined for the Russian military, anyone associated with the transactions in the UAE may be in violation of sanctions.

“So they are gambling with the future of their business if they continue to support these trades,” he concluded.