By Bond Robertson 
The Russian mercenary group Wagner was said to have attempted to purchase weapons and equipment from NATO member Turkey on behalf of President Vladimir Putin.
It claimed in a leaked US intelligence document, check it out CNN.
There is information that members of the Wagner Group must have met with “Turkish contacts” at the beginning of February, with the aim of “purchasing weapons and equipment”, which were to be used by the group’s mercenaries at that time in Ukraine.
It is not clear who the alleged Turkish contacts are, or if the Turkish government was aware of the meetings. There is also no indication that Türkiye has sold weapons to the Wagner Group.
Gift package for Russia
Not verified
The document originates from a leak from the Pentagon.
CNN has not been able to verify its authenticity. Although some documents have been claimed to be forged or fabricated, most have been confirmed to be authentic.
– The Ministry of Defense and the intelligence services are constantly reviewing and evaluating the authenticity of the leaked documents. A US State Department spokesperson said in a comment that we could not comment on specific information in it.
The Turkish president’s office and the Turkish embassy in Washington did not respond to the channel’s inquiries.
Unique relationship
The relationship between Russia and Turkey is very complex. Unlike most NATO countries, the country maintained close contact with Russia after the invasion.
Turkish authorities expressed their opposition to the Russian fighting, but also met with Russian officials and attempted to negotiate an end to the war.
For example, the United Nations and Turkey negotiated a grain agreement with Russia and Ukraine last July. It ensures that Ukraine can export grain through safe passage through the Black Sea without risking Russian attacks on ships.
The country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also held separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Today, the United States imposed sanctions on 120 companies that allegedly helped Russia circumvent Western sanctions. Including four Turkish companies.
The United States and allied countries have imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but Moscow has largely managed to get what it needs via countries like Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, NTB writes.
The Turkish authorities did not join the sanctions imposed on Moscow, but confirmed that they would not contribute to circumventing the sanctions or to the arrival of military equipment from Turkey to Russia.