Sanctions imposed by the United States on Turkey are shattering the U.S.’ reputation, warned Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Aug. 14. Hurriyet reports.
“The era of bullying must end,” Çavuşoğlu said during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the 10th Ambassadors’ Conference in the capital Ankara.
“If the U.S. wants to continue being a reputable country, it cannot do so with these impositions,” he said, referring to the sanctions.
“We are against the U.S. or any country imposing sanctions,” he added.
For his part, Lavrov said that the U.S.’ “unlawful and illegitimate” sanctions policy cannot last for long.
Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on two government ministers for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.
President Donald Trump on Aug. 10 doubled U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports.
The five-day ambassadors’ conference is hosting 249 Turkish ambassadors and two charge d’affaires, as well as a number of foreign diplomats.