Ankara Angers Brussels After Turkish Firms Trade With Moscow

(Photo : VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) during a meeting in Sochi, on August 5, 2022. Ankara and the decision to avoid the crisis of Brussels but dealing with Moscow instead, but bloc leaders are against it.

Ankara saw an opening when firms left Mosco, but Brussels is having a fit when trade arose. It is the bloc's fault that it went along with US-EU sanctions, now is paying for it in spades, and it is going after Erdogan.

Erdogan Chose To Act Smartly

Turkey's exports to Russia have increased substantially in value and volume as of 2021 as Turkish enterprises rushed to fill the void left by US and EU firms in the market, reported RT.

Although they accepted there is little they can do about it, Brussels officials told the Financial Times on Tuesday that it is "not pleasant" and "not really suitable."

According to the Turkish Trade Ministry's most recent statistics, over $2 billion worth of exports to Russia were made between May and July, an uptick of $642 million compared to the same period last year.

By July, exports had risen from $417 million to $730 million, a 75% increase over last year. The uptick in Turkish exports was the largest ever documented. Turkey now exports 3.9% of its total goods to Moscow, up from 2.6% in July last year.

According to the Trade Ministry, exports from Ankara to the US increased by 13% over the previous year, contributing to a 25% increase in trade. Turkey has chosen not to join because of the Turkish Lira as well as the embargo imposed against Russia by the US and Brussels, noted Mass News.

Speaking to the FT, an unnamed EU official claimed to be aware of Erdogan's actions. Brussels has been irritated by Turkey far too often.

A few EU capitals have enquired with Erdogan about Turkey's ties to Russia. The President of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan, was hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi earlier this month.

The Turkish president prefers a centrist strategy to the problem in Kyiv, selling armed drones to Ukraine while preserving trade ties with Vladimir Putin.

As a result of the sanctions, Turkey has fully benefited from EU companies' absence; it has made more money than EU or US companies did from Russia, which has incensed Brussels a little. It's the loss of those willing to follow faulty Washington but not Erdogan.

Peter Stano, the head of the EU's diplomatic service, disagreed with Turkey's choice and insisted that Turkey should join the EU's collapse as a result of severing ties with Moscow.

Following Joe Biden's harmful lead, many EU member states are suffering from sanctions. Erdogan follows his wishes, according to him, because the EU cannot afford to lose Turkey, and the US cannot impose its will because Turkey is so important to the union.

Russia, Turkey Blames the Western Alliance

A pivot of Turkey from the west was announced last Thursday when Erdogan and Putin reached a deal to make payments in rubles for Russian natural gas as economic ties improve, citing Hi India.

The Kremlin called the west "toxic" due to illegal sanctions, so allowing this payment scheme to devalue the dollar is for their mutual benefit if Turkey can maintain its decreasing hard currency reserves.

Ankara initiating a big pivot to trade with Moscow has Brussels not happy as another nation drops them and the US. The bloc is diving into trouble guided by the Biden White House.