![Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) meets with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna (L) in Ankara, Turkiye on September 05, 2022 [Fatih Aktaş/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AA-20220905-28819863-28819860-MEVLUT_CAVUSOGLUCATHERINE_COLONNA.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
France’s Foreign Minister paid a diplomatic visit to Turkiye to talk about the Western sanctions on Russia, after the United States said Turkish businesses faced the risk of sanctions, Reuters reports.
According to the report, French Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Catherine Colonna, said Turkiye must find alternatives and avoid continuing trade relations with sanctioned Russian firms.
During her meeting with her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Colonna questioned Cavusoglu about the increasingly heated war of words between the two neighbours and urged him to avoid “any escalation, verbal or otherwise”.
“We have special ties with Greece,” Colonna said. “But, above all, we want the two neighbours and (NATO) allies to settle any difference they may have through dialogue.”
Last month, the US Treasury sent a letter to Turkish businesses warning that they would be cut off from access to dollars should they trade with sanctioned Russian entities.