dpa
Istanbul
Turkey is looking for “alternatives” to Russia’s Mir bank card payment system, given the possibility that continuing to use it could lead to Western sanctions, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
Turkish media reported earlier this week that two private Turkish banks, Denizbank and Is Bankasi, have stopped using Mir.
However, three Turkish public banks are still using Mir despite warnings hat they could incur EU and US sanctions.
Last month, a leading Turkish business group said it had received a letter from the US Treasury warning that companies risk sanctions if they work with Russian businesses that are subject to US sanctions.
“We now need to consider what we can do ... what the alternatives are [to Mir],” Erdogan told Turkish reporters in New York.
His government will make a final decision on Friday for an alternative in order to avoid possible sanctions, Erdogan said, in remarks carried by state news agency Anadolu.
NATO member Turkey declined to join Western sanctions against Russia imposed after the Ukraine invasion and maintains close ties to both Moscow and Kiev.
Turkey depends heavily on Russian energy and tourism, among other areas.
