Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak warned that US sanctions against Ankara could destabilize the region.

“These politically motivated steps will not only affect the global financial system, but global trade and stability in the region,” he told a joint news conference with French Economy Minister Bruno Lemerre in Paris.

“With the damage that these steps will bring to stability in the region, it will unfortunately contribute to the chaos that fuels terrorism and the refugee crisis,” he said.

A new phase, with the increasing importance of trade between Ankara and Brussels.

The US unilateral steps against Turkey and the European Union, including France, indicate that Turkey’s relations with the EU have become more important than ever.

He added that Turkey and France have an identical position on the US sanctions against Iran, stressing the need to take joint steps in this regard.