The U.S. government has warned Turkey against exporting chemicals, chips and other high-tech products to Russia.

Information photo.

(AFP)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] The U.S. government warned Turkey last Thursday (2nd) not to export chemical products, chips and other high-tech products to Russia, because the products may be used in the Russia-Ukraine war, and the U.S. will begin to punish violations of the relevant ban Turkish companies or banks.

According to a Reuters report, Brian Nelson, head of the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions department, visited Turkey on Thursday and Friday last week, visiting the Turkish government and companies, and urging them to strengthen their cooperation with international sanctions against Russia.

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Nielsen said in a speech that the recent significant increase in Turkey's total exports to Russia would make Turkey "particularly vulnerable to reputational damage and sanctions" and could therefore be excluded from the G7 (Group of Seven Industrial Countries) market.

Nielsen emphasized that Turkish companies should take further precautionary measures to avoid trading products with the Russian military-industrial complex and its potential holding companies.

An unnamed U.S. official said Nielsen confronted Turkey over its $10 million-plus exports to Russia.

The official said that it is no surprise that Russia is actively using its economic and trade channels with Turkey, "the key point is Turkey's attitude."

As a member of NATO, although Turkey opposes comprehensive sanctions against Russia, it also stated that it will not circumvent sanctions. Turkey even asked Western countries to provide evidence for relevant allegations.

Western countries have imposed strict export controls and economic sanctions on Russia since Putin invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago.

However, trade channels in economic and trade centers such as Hong Kong and Turkey remain unimpeded.

Foreign media quoted Russian customs records last year, showing that in the seven months to the end of October last year, at least 2.6 billion US dollars (approximately NT$78 billion) of computers and electronic-related components flowed into Russia, and chips such as chips produced by Western countries flowed into Russia. Technology products also continue to appear in the systems of Russian-made weapons.