Turkey Restricts Export of Key Military-Related Products to Russia

22 October, 2024 The Russian Armed Forces' Terminator IFV during training. November 2020. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

The Turkish government has blocked the supply to Russia of Western-made goods that can be used for weapons production. According to the FT, Ankara has not officially announced the restrictions. Such a decision was made after the United States threatened Turkey, which did not join Western sanctions, with consequences for supporting the Russian defense industry.

Now, Turkish exporters are prohibited from supplying products to Russia that are included in the list of 50 "high priority" goods. These goods have been identified by the U.S., EU, UK and Japan as critical to the Russian military industry.

These goods include advanced electronics, including processors, memory cards, control systems, machine tools, and other equipment used in the production of weapons. According to one of the FT sources, Turkey didn't make those restrictions public since it is a politically sensitive issue.

Joe Biden's administration has made significant efforts to stop the supply of goods used in the production of Russian weapons. In August 2024, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matthew Axelrod met with Turkish officials and top executives in Ankara and Istanbul in an effort to prevent advanced American technology from reaching U.S. adversaries.