Erdogan blames US for triggering 2018 economic crisis in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Western countries — primarily the United States — of triggering the economic crisis that Turkey faced last year.

"Attempts by a range of Western countries, most importantly the United States, to put pressure on Ankara were behind the August 2018 manipulations in the Turkish currency market", Erdogan said at a meeting with media representatives, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Relations between Turkey and the United States escalated last August after US President Donald Trump authorised the doubling of previously imposed import tariffs on Turkish aluminium and steel to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively. The US move resulted in the Turkish lira hitting a historic low. Turkey responded by increasing tariffs on 22 types of US goods worth $533 million.

(SPUTNIK)