About 7% of Russian oil exports go to Turkey, which, despite the ongoing war against Ukraine, has not supported sanctions against Moscow. Economic ties remain strong even during periods of political tension, and Russian tourists continue to visit Turkey in significant numbers.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traditionally avoids direct involvement in the conflict, focusing instead on national economic interests. While making public statements in support of Ukraine and occasionally delivering military aid, Turkey continues active trade in energy with Russia. France and Taiwan maintain similar positions: France signs long-term gas contracts and resells Russian LNG to other European countries, while Taiwan has purchased over $11 billion worth of Russian oil this year, despite voicing public support for Ukraine.
Globally, many countries are trying to separate business interests from involvement in the conflict. There are, however, isolated efforts to exert pressure on Russia, such as the French authorities detaining a "shadow fleet" Russian tanker, with President Emmanuel Macron proposing to block such shipments to reduce Moscow’s revenues.
However, EU leaders, as demonstrated at the Copenhagen summit, have failed to reach consensus on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US urges European allies to sever economic ties with Russia and diversify energy sources, pushing for American LNG on the European market.
Overall, economic relations with Russia remain crucial for many countries even amid ongoing warfare, creating challenges for sanction policies and international unity in supporting Ukraine.
