Since Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the country has been isolated to the west. Overflight bans and penalties are preventing residents from reaching many previously popular destinations.
However, some remain. By far the most important destination is Turkey. Around a quarter of international flights last year went to domestic destinations.
Both Russian and Turkish airlines fly between the countries. Turkey also plays an important role as a transit country, as travelers change trains in Istanbul to go to other countries.
The US doesn’t like that. According to the newspaper “Wall Street Journal”, the government in Washington is exerting massive pressure on NATO partner Turkey. She demands that no more Russian airlines are allowed to fly to Turkey. The country should also refrain from servicing American-made aircraft operated by Russian airlines.
The USA warns that the supply of spare parts of American origin is also prohibited under the sanctions imposed in 2022. Turkey has been a member of the NATO defense alliance since 195 and is therefore a partner of the United States.
In response to the attack on Ukraine, President Joe Biden’s administration introduced export controls last February that ban Russia from using US-made aircraft.
Export controls prohibit aircraft made in the United States or those with more than 25 percent American parts from flying to Russia or Belarus.
Last month, US officials threatened Turkey with jail terms, fines and the removal of export privileges from individuals and companies if they violated the sanctions. This is reported by the Russian news agency Ria. US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Thea Roseman Kendler reportedly communicated Washington’s position to Turkish officials as early as December.
The number of flights from Russia to Turkey has more than tripled since the beginning of the war. On the other hand, the offer to neighboring countries or to destinations where there is no flight ban, such as Egypt, or to destinations in the Persian Gulf remained stable.
Aeroflot had resumed air services to Turkey in May after most international flights were suspended in March following the invasion. Russia’s second largest airline, S7, as well as Azur Air, Utair and Belarus’ Belavia also flew to Turkey last year, also on Boeing aircraft.
This article was written by Laura Frommberg
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The original of this article “US urges Turkey to ban flights from Russia” comes from aeroTelegraph.
