Reluctant To Join West In Imposing Sanctions On Russia, Turkey: Not Solving Problems

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu. (Wikimedia Commons/Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Turkey will not join the sanctions imposed by some Western countries on Russia for special operations in Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a diplomatic forum in Antalya on Sunday.

"We believe that sanctions will not solve the problem," he said when asked about Turkey's stance on sanctions against Russia.

"Take the airspace. In accordance with the Montreux Convention, we have no power to close it. This is a legal obligation," he said.

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of the alliance's diplomatic forum, expecting all its members to impose restrictions on Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass Republic. Russia said it would not occupy Ukrainian territory and did not target civilians.

However, hundreds of people died, with 2.5 million fleeing across the Ukrainian border and hundreds of thousands trapped in cities besieged by the ensuing invasion.

The United States, European Union, Britain, and a number of other countries have said they are imposing sanctions on Russian legal entities and individuals. Russia responded by issuing sanctions.

To note, Turkey has repeatedly said it has no intention of joining sanctions against Russia so as not to harm its own economy, as well as to keep the door open for dialogue with Russia.