More US Sanctions On Turkey If No Ceasefire: US Treasury Secretary
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES:
The United States is prepared to ratchet up economic pressure on Turkey if it does not agree to cease its offensive in northern Syria, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday.
Turkey has so far rebuffed international pressure to hold its fire against Kurdish forces in the war-torn Middle Eastern nation.
Facing stinging criticism at home, US President Donald Trump this week slapped sanctions on top Turkish officials and imposed punitive tariffs on Turkish imports, vowing to “destroy” the Turkish economy unless Ankara relents.
“Additional sanctions will be coming if they don’t institute a ceasefire,” Mnuchin told reporters on Wednesday, adding that Washington could target more Turkish ministries and industries.
“My expectation is that we are really focused on sanctions on Turkey and they will have the necessary impact,” said Mnuchin. “We have very broad authority.”
