Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin announced that Turkey does not plan to join the sanctions against Russia in order to maintain close trade relations with it in fields including tourism, gas and agriculture.
In an interview with CNN Turkey, Kalin said, “We must act with consideration for our country’s priorities. There must be a party capable of negotiating with Russia. Who will talk to Russia when everyone is burning bridges? We do not plan to impose sanctions to keep this channel open.”
He added, “Ankara does not intend to take measures that would harm the republic. We have close trade relations with Russia in areas such as tourism, natural gas and agriculture.”
He continued, “The Montreux Convention played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the Black Sea. We are implementing the agreement in a way that does not lead to an increase in tension.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed earlier that Ankara was determined to use its authority under the Montreux Convention regarding the movement of ships through the Bosphorus in a way that prevents the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine.