Amid peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish authorities have started supplying its Bayraktar TB2 armed drones to Ukrainian authorities, while there also are allegations of Turkish drones being directly sent to Azov Battalion. According to media reports, Russia has complained to Turkey over its sale of Bayraktar TB2 armed drones to Ukraine, a high-level Turkish bureaucrat said on Friday, but added the sales were by a private Turkish company and not state-to-state deals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on February 24 on what he called a “special military operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine. Kiev [also spelled as Kyiv] and the West say Putin launched an unprovoked war of aggression.
“Russians are upset and from time to time they are complaining about the drone sales. They used to complain and they are complaining right now”, the Turkish bureaucrat said at a meeting with foreign media.
“But we have already given the answer … that these are private companies and these drone purchases had been done before the war as well”.
Turkey has forged close ties with Russia in energy, defence and trade, and relies heavily on Russian tourists. The Turkish defence firm Baykar had sold the drones to Kiev despite Russian objections and signed a deal to co-produce more before the invasion, angering Moscow.
NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has taken a mediating role in the conflict. It has hosted peace talks and is working to bring together the Ukrainian and Russian presidents.
While supporting Ukraine and criticizing Russia’s special operations, Turkey has also opposed widespread Western sanctions on Moscow, saying communication channels need to remain open and casting doubt on the effectiveness of the measures.
After peace talks between negotiators in Istanbul last week, Ukraine listed several nations, including Turkey and members of the UN Security Council, as possible guarantors for Kiev’s security. The bureaucrat said some countries listed would face “legal issues” as security guarantors, without elaborating.
Turkey has said it is ready, in principle, to be Ukraine’s guarantor, but the details of the format need to be finalized.
Russia redirects coal supply
Russia will redirect coal supplies to alternative markets after the European Union refuses the shipments, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.
“Shipments of coal, as Europe refuses [its] consumption, …, will be redirected to alternative markets. Of course, coal is still a very popular commodity”, Peskov stressed.
On Thursday, the European Union countries approved the fifth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes restrictions on individuals and financial institutions, and also embargoes coal imports from Russia, as well as supplies of high-tech goods. In particular, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany should fully use the four-month transition period for phasing out coal imports from Russia.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has stated that it would be difficult for some European countries, who rely heavily on Russian coal imports, to refuse Russian shipments immediately. According to him, Russia will be able to shift coal exports to Asia-Pacific countries by utilizing free capacity at the Black Sea and Baltic ports.
Japan bans new investments in Russia
The Japanese authorities will impose a ban on new investments in Russia due to the situation around Ukraine and the military operation of the Russian Federation, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a press conference in Tokyo on Friday.
“We are introducing a ban on new investments in Russia”, he said. According to Kishida, these measures will be applied in cooperation with the G7 countries.
“Next week we will introduce a ban on the import of machinery, vodka and certain types of wood from Russia”, the Prime Minister added.
Japan has previously adopted several packages of restrictions against Russia due to the situation around Ukraine and the ongoing special military operation. More than 100 people fell under individual sanctions, including representatives of the country’s leadership, officials and businessmen.
Japan also froze the assets of Otkritie Bank, Novikombank, Sovcombank, VTB Bank, Rossiya Bank, Promsvyazbank and VEB.RF.
The list of goods and technologies prohibited for export covers more than 300 items, including semiconductors, equipment for maritime and aviation security, telecommunications equipment, communications equipment, military products, including weapons, software, oil refining equipment. Also, a ban has been introduced on the supply of luxury goods to Russia, including expensive cars worth more than 6 million yen (about US$49,000).
