Turkey opposes sanctions against Russia; energy supply at risk

Turkey is opposed to sanctions against Russia whilst condemning at the same time its incursion into Ukrainian territory reports Reuters.

It might not come as a surprise that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is opposed to sanctions against a country that has breached the sovereignty of another with an occupying force, given that Turkey has done the same in Cyprus since its illegal invasion of the island in 1974.

Meanwhile, according to the news outlet, analysts warn that Turkey cannot afford to go too far against Russia as it risks disrupting vital Russian energy supplies, trade, and tourism.

“The prospect of a prolonged bloodless conflict or substantive sanctions on Russia’s energy exports could severely harm (and threaten) Turkey’s economic stability,” said Atilla Yesilada, an Istanbul-based analyst at GlobalSource Partners.

Meanwhile, yesterday the Turkish Foreign Affairs ministry issued a statement condemning Putin's decision to recognise the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine.

"The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Republics, in addition to contradicting the Minsk Agreements, constitutes a clear violation of Ukraine's political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The Russian Federation’s decision is unacceptable and we reject it.

"We reiterate once again our commitment to the preservation of Ukraine’s political unity and territorial integrity and invite all concerned parties to act with common sense and to abide by international law," read the full statement.