WASHINGTON – The US State Department on Wednesday expressed the opposition of the United States to the agreement announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to form a natural gas hub in cooperation with Russia.

“We have worked closely with our allies and partners to impose severe and unprecedented costs on Russia, including through sanctions, export controls, visa restrictions. We have urged Turkey and all of our allies and partners that no one should have become a safe haven for illicit Russian assets or transactions, and we will continue to make that case,” Vedant Patel, the State Depatment’s principal deputy spokesperson said.

“And as it relates to the energy conversation, we have continued to urge our allies to take steps to diversify their energy sources, to reduce energy reliance on Russia. And in the case of Turkey, we are working with them closely to assist in their own efforts to enhance energy security in the long term,” he added.

(ANA-MPA/P. Kasfikis)