LONDON, August 7. /TASS/. The United States claims that Turkey exports sensitive American goods to Russia and may impose new restrictions on Turkish companies. This is according to a commentary US assistant commerce secretary Matthew Axelrod made to the Financial Times.

"We need Turkey to help us stop the illicit flow of US technology to Russia," Axelrod said in a statement to the Financial Times. "We need to see progress, and quickly, by Turkish authorities and industry or we will have no choice but to impose consequences on those that evade our export controls," he added.

According to the publication, during his recent visit to Ankara and Istanbul Axelrod expressed his dissatisfaction with the Turkish authorities, who allegedly participate in the transfer of sensitive American technologies to Russia in circumvention of the US ban.

He also called on Ankara to "adopt and enforce a ban on the transshipment of US controlled items to Russia."

According to US officials interviewed by the newspaper, the US Department of Commerce has already sanctioned 18 companies that allegedly transported American goods to Russia. As the commerce official told the newspaper, "you can expect to see more of that going forward unless and until there is progress’ [made by Turkey].