Turkey will not join the sanctions against Russia. This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at a press conference with US State Department Chairman Anthony Blinken in Ankara, Anadolu reports.

 "Turkey does not join sanctions against Russia, in general we do not join unilateral sanctions. However, as Turkey, we support the steps of the UN," the minister said.

 "We have stated from the very beginning that we will not allow Russia to circumvent the sanctions, and we are sticking to this line. We are taking this issue into account and have taken certain measures. It is claimed that trade between Russia and Turkey has increased, but I must emphasize that more than 60 percent is gas and energy The reports about our export of electronic materials to Russia for use in the defense industry are untrue. We have already stated many times that if there are documents related to this, they should provide us with evidence. If this rule is violated, we will evidence, we as the government will take the necessary steps," the minister emphasized.

 The announcement came just weeks after a senior US Treasury official visited Turkey to urge local businesses to avoid doing business with sanctioned Russian companies and not to sell goods that could be used in the war against Ukraine.

 So-called dual-use products, usually electronics, which appear safe but contain components such as microcircuits that could have military applications, have become a concern of Western powers seeking to undermine Moscow's ability to produce military equipment.