US threatens Turkey for supplying spare parts to Russian airlines in defiance of Western sanctions

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Senior US officials have reportedly warned that Turkey could face repercussions if it provided spare aircraft parts and other services to Russian airlines in violation of an export ban imposed by the Biden administration in February 2022 .

According to a WSJ report, Deputy Commerce Secretary Thea Rozman Kendler issued the warning during a meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara last December.

The Commerce Department declined to comment on details of the warnings issued to foreign governments or individuals. The ministry said, however, that foreign airlines have recently been reminded of their legal obligation to comply with the sanctions.

“This action and continued engagement, like Assistant Secretary Kendler’s visit, is important to U.S. efforts to ensure understanding of our controls, encourage partnership and compliance, and share information,” a doorman said. – Commerce Department spokesman to the WSJ.

Russian airlines have continued to fly American and European-made planes in defiance of Western sanctions that almost completely ban the export of spare parts and other key services designed to keep Boeing and Airbus planes safe and airworthy. .

Russia has tried to circumvent sanctions by producing some spare parts domestically, but some airlines from countries that have retained diplomatic ties with Moscow are believed to continue to supply the Russian airline industry.

Russian airline Aeroflot continues to operate regular flights to Istanbul from Moscow, Sochi, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. The airline also flies regularly to the popular Turkish holiday destination of Antalya.

At one point, analysts warned that the United States will have to take enforcement action against those who violate the sanctions. Such action could include hefty fines or even jail time for those found guilty of ignoring the Biden administration’s ban on the export of U.S. spare parts.

Russian airlines have been banned from flying to the United States and Europe, as well as to a large number of other countries, including Canada, but Aeroflot and other Russian carriers have managed to transfer their operations to friendly countries such as the United Arab Emirates, India, Thailand. and the Maldives.

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Mateusz Maszczynski

Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the Middle East’s most important airline and flew throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for a well-known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centered stories. Always on the cutting edge, Matt’s knowledge, analysis and news coverage are often used by some of the biggest names in journalism.

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