Turkey's foreign minister says sanctioned Russian oligarchs are welcome as tourists and investors
Sam Tabahriti
Sun, March 27, 2022,
From left: Roman Abramovich, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Alexei Mordashov.
Turkish minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Russian oligarchs are welcome in the country, per CNBC.
It comes amid Russian billionaires being sanctioned by Western countries during the war.
Superyachts should remain outside the territorial waters of sanctioning countries, Turkey said.
Sanctioned Russian oligarchs are welcome in Turkey as tourists and investors, according to the country's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu.
CNBC reported the story first.
The politician said in an interview with CNBC at the Doha Forum: "We implement UN-approved sanctions, so if any Russian citizens want to visit Turkey, of course, they can visit Turkey. Now Russians are coming to visit Turkey, that's no problem."
"If you mean that these oligarchs can do any business in Turkey, then of course if it is legal and it is not against international law, I will consider," he added when pushed on whether sanctioned oligarchs can do business in the country.
He said: "If it is against international law, then that's another story."
The Turkish foreign minister's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.
Several Russian billionaires have had some of their assets seized amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Roman Abramovich, who owns Chelsea FC, had his two multimillion-dollar superyachts reportedly spotted in Turkey's coastal waters. Italy seized a superyacht belonging to one of Russia's richest men, Alexei Mordashov, last week.
Per CNBC's report, Turkey said that allowing Russian oligarchs into the country is legitimate – so long as the yachts remain outside the territorial waters of sanctioning countries, which extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline.
Cavusoglu also told reporters that he traveled to Russia and Ukraine for talks with his respective counterparts.
Meanwhile, Turkey, alongside France and Greece, intends to take part in a mission to evacuate Mariupol's remaining inhabitants. The countries are all NATO members.
Turkey says world cannot 'burn bridges' with Moscow
FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin is pictured during an interview in Istanbul
Sun, March 27, 2022, 4
DOHA (Reuters) - Turkey and other nations must still talk to Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, Turkey's presidential spokesman said on Sunday, adding that Kyiv needed more support to defend itself.
NATO member Turkey has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has sought to mediate in the month-long conflict.
"If everybody burns bridges with Russia then who is going to talk to them at the end of the day," Ibrahim Kalin told the Doha international forum.
"Ukrainians need to be supported by every means possible so they can defend themselves ... but the Russian case must be heard, one way or the other," so that its grievances could be understood if not justified, Kalin added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged the West to give his country tanks, planes and missiles to fend off Russian forces. The West has responded to Russia's invasion by slapping sweeping economic sanctions on Moscow.
Ankara says Russia's invasion is unacceptable but opposes the Western sanctions on principle and has not joined them.
Turkey's economy, already strained by a December currency crisis, relies heavily on Russian energy, trade and tourism, and since the war began on Feb. 24 thousands of Russians have arrived in Turkey, seeing it as a safe haven from the sanctions.
Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, head of Turkey's investment office, told the forum separately that some Russian companies were relocating operations to Turkey.
Asked on a panel about Turkey doing business with any people which could be of benefit to President Vladimir Putin, he said: "We are not targeting, we are not chasing, we are not pursuing any investment or capital that has a question mark on it."
Two superyachts linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich have docked in Turkish resorts.
Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate Putin and his allies over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
(Reporting by Ghaida Ghantous, Andrew Mills and Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Edmund Blair and Gareth Jones)
FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin is pictured during an interview in Istanbul
Sun, March 27, 2022, 4
DOHA (Reuters) - Turkey and other nations must still talk to Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, Turkey's presidential spokesman said on Sunday, adding that Kyiv needed more support to defend itself.
NATO member Turkey has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has sought to mediate in the month-long conflict.
"If everybody burns bridges with Russia then who is going to talk to them at the end of the day," Ibrahim Kalin told the Doha international forum.
"Ukrainians need to be supported by every means possible so they can defend themselves ... but the Russian case must be heard, one way or the other," so that its grievances could be understood if not justified, Kalin added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged the West to give his country tanks, planes and missiles to fend off Russian forces. The West has responded to Russia's invasion by slapping sweeping economic sanctions on Moscow.
Ankara says Russia's invasion is unacceptable but opposes the Western sanctions on principle and has not joined them.
Turkey's economy, already strained by a December currency crisis, relies heavily on Russian energy, trade and tourism, and since the war began on Feb. 24 thousands of Russians have arrived in Turkey, seeing it as a safe haven from the sanctions.
Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, head of Turkey's investment office, told the forum separately that some Russian companies were relocating operations to Turkey.
Asked on a panel about Turkey doing business with any people which could be of benefit to President Vladimir Putin, he said: "We are not targeting, we are not chasing, we are not pursuing any investment or capital that has a question mark on it."
Two superyachts linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich have docked in Turkish resorts.
Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate Putin and his allies over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
(Reporting by Ghaida Ghantous, Andrew Mills and Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Edmund Blair and Gareth Jones)
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