Türkiye will not stay silent as Trump launches economic war against NATO ally
(Baonghean.vn) - According to RT on August 22, Ankara criticized Trump's National Security Advisor for "bragging" that the lira crisis could be stopped "immediately" if Türkiye bowed to US demands.
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| Illustration photo: Reuters |
The source also said Türkiye accused Washington of launching an “economic war” against its NATO ally.
Türkiye is currently grappling with a severe currency crisis, sparked by escalating US sanctions, which Washington ordered in retaliation for the arrest of Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is accused of participating in a failed coup attempt in 2016.
Bolton noted on August 21 that the lira's free fall could end immediately if Türkiye released the American citizen, who is facing a 35-year sentence in a Turkish prison.
“Look, the Turkish government made a huge mistake by not releasing Pastor Brunson,” Bolton told Reuters in an interview during a visit to Israel. “Every day that goes by, the mistake continues, this crisis could be over right now if they did the right thing as a NATO ally, as part of the West, and released Pastor Brunson unconditionally.”
Ankara has criticized Washington for its pressure campaign over the priest’s arrest, which Ankara sees as a purely legal matter. “Bolton’s statement is proof that the Trump administration is targeting a NATO ally in an economic war,” Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told Reuters, noting that Türkiye would not “remain silent” when its economy and judiciary are under attack.
“The Trump administration has confirmed that it intends to use trade tariffs and sanctions to start a global trade war,” he stressed, referring to similar disputes with Mexico, Canada, Europe and China. “The latest policies of the US administration contradict the basic principles and values of the NATO alliance.”
The Turkish lira fell sharply against the dollar earlier this month after Trump doubled tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 and 50 percent, respectively. Overall, the currency has lost about 40 percent of its value this year.
To combat the economic downturn, the Turkish government has taken a number of countermeasures, announcing tariffs on certain US goods, including cars, alcohol and tobacco. Meanwhile, Qatar has pledged a $15 billion direct investment package into Turkish markets, and Türkiye has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over US tariffs on its products. In response, Trump has announced further sanctions unless Ankara bows to US demands to release the “wonderful” priest.
