Macron: Turkey should prevent Russia from escaping Western sanctions

According to the French president, the Turkish government should prevent Russia from circumventing western sanctions In a phone call on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron called on his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Edogan to help pressure and isolate Russia to force Moscow to end the war against Ukraine.

At the same time, the Kremlin issued a statement that said, among other things, that Erdogan and Putin spoke on the phone on Friday about the practical aspects of increasing Russia's energy resources. They also discussed the initiative to export Black Sea grain, Russian fertilizers and agricultural products. In this phone call, Erdogan advocated a "just peace" in Ukraine and stressed the need to end hostilities.

The close cooperation between Turkish President Erdogan and Kremlin chief Putin is causing dissatisfaction in the EU. The EU foreign policy chief Borrell speaks of "cause for great concern" - and urges the implementation of the sanctions. The deepening of economic relations between Turkey and Russia gives "reason for great concern," according to a letter from EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to the EU Parliament. Turkey's continued policy "not to join the EU's restrictive measures against Russia" is also worrying.

As the second German television "ZDF" reported last December, Turkey is said to have massively expanded its exports to Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine war and also bought more Russian oil. According to the Turkish President, he used his good relations with Moscow and Kiev to try to mediate an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Thus, Ankara held two rounds of peace talks and, with the support of the United Nations, managed to sign an agreement to restore grain exports in the Black Sea to both parties to the conflict.