According to a senior Turkish official speaking to Bloomberg, the United States has decided to extend Türkiye’s requested exemption from Gazprombank sanctions until May. The exemption was granted following negotiations between Türkiye and the U.S.
Exemption Was Set to Expire Today
The exemption, which was initially granted to Türkiye on December 20, was set to expire today. The Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance, along with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, had been working intensively on the matter.
Minister Şimşek Held Talks with His U.S. Counterpart
Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek recently held a teleconference meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Following the meeting, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that the discussions covered not only sanctions but also other economic and national security issues concerning both countries.
U.S. Sanctions on Gazprombank Introduced in November
In November, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Gazprombank as part of efforts to curb Russia’s revenue from gas sales. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar had previously warned that if the exemption was not granted, Türkiye could also become a target of these sanctions.
Following negotiations, Minister Bayraktar confirmed to Bloomberg that Türkiye secured the exemption.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök