A Ukrainian student in the USA was shouted “Russia” during a basketball game. The opposing team apologized

The United States has warned Turkey against exporting chemicals, microchips and other products to Russia that could be used in Moscow’s war in Ukraine to circumvent Western sanctions, Reuters reports.

Brian Nelson, the US Treasury Department’s sanctions official, met with Turkish officials and the private sector on Thursday and Friday to call for greater cooperation in stemming the flow of such goods. During meetings in Ankara and Istanbul, Nelson and delegation representatives highlighted tens of millions of dollars worth of exports to Russia, which is a cause for concern, the official said on condition of anonymity.

“There is nothing surprising in the fact that Russia is actively seeking to use the historical economic ties it has with Turkey,” the official said, adding that the question is what Turkey’s response will be.

Ankara is fundamentally opposed to broad sanctions against Russia, but says Turkey will not circumvent them, calling on the West to provide any evidence of violations.

Citing Russian customs data, Reuters reported in December that at least $2.6 billion worth of computer and other electronic components entered Russia in the seven months to October 31, 2022. Of these, $777 million worth of goods were manufactured by Western firms whose chips were found in Russian weapons systems.

The trip by Nelson, the Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, is the latest visit to Turkey by senior US officials seeking to increase pressure on Ankara to enforce US sanctions on Russia.

In talks with Turkish firms this week, Nelson said Russia could evade Western controls to import plastics, rubber and semiconductors that are found in exported goods and used by the military.

Brian Nelson also visited the United Arab Emirates and Oman to confirm that Washington will continue to apply the sanctions imposed by them, the US Treasury Department said last week.