U.S. Rejects Russia’s Claim That Turkey Smuggles Oil with ISIS

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the members of Federal Assembly and State Duma on Thursday in his annual speech to lawmakers on the state of the nation.

Erdogan had dismissed earlier Russian claims that Ankara is involved in the illegal oil trade with jihadist groups, including IS, in Syria and Iraq, insisting he would resign if allegations were proved true.

An undated still image taken from a video made available by the Russian Defence Ministry in Moscow, Russia December 2, 2015, shows the Turkish-Syrian border crossing.

Russian Federation has accused Turkey of being “secret allies” with the Islamic State.

Other Turkish government officials described the claims as baseless, while a senior official from the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan said they were part of a narrative being spun for a Russian domestic audience.

Mr Putin scorned them, saying “probably Allah alone knows why they did it. According to information we’ve received, the senior political leadership of the country – President Erdogan and his family – are involved in this criminal business”, Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s deputy defence minister, said on Wednesday.

However, worldwide security expert and President of IMESClub Maria Dubovikova said in a column that Russian Federation has stopped acting rational.

Russians can no longer go on package holidays to Turkey – until this month the top foreign destination for Russian tourists.

Putin said that to efficiently combat terrorism the global community must halt any support of terrorist groups, and said that Turkey has allowed the IS to thrive by illegally purchasing its oil.

“We know who are stuffing pockets in Turkey and letting terrorists prosper from the sale of oil they stole in Syria”, Putin said while addressing the Kremlin audience on December 3.

He said Turkey has “the proof” in its hands, which he was going to reveal to the world.

The intensity of Russia’s accusations has been growing since the downing of the jet on November 24, the most risky incident involving Russian Federation and a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation state in the past 50 years.

Repeating a call for a new broad worldwide coalition against terrorism, Putin, in an overt reference to Turkey, called on countries to avoid “double standards, contacts with any terrorist organisations, and any attempts to use them for their own ends”.

It would be the first time the men have met since the downing of the jet.