Your trusted source

The US and European Union are applying pressure on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Washington planning sanctions over Turkey’s acquisition of a Russian air-defense system and the EU targeting people involved in Ankara’s energy exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean.

US officials are expected to roll out the sanctions Friday under a 2017 US law for procuring weapons from a blacklisted supplier, the person said. The State Department reiterated its policy of declining to comment on future sanctions, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

The EU Observer reports, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday it would be "disrespectful toward a very important Nato partner" if the US imposed sanctions over his purchase of a Russian air-defence system. News of the US move saw the Turkish lira fall further. German chancellor Angela Merkel also said Friday European Nato states and the US would discuss potentially restricting arms transfers to Turkey in new talks "in the Nato framework".