No Banks in Turkey Using Mir Payment System Left, Media Reports

There are no banks in Turkey using the Russian "Mir" payment system, local NTV television reported on Wednesday morning. Earlier, Bloomberg, citing a senior Turkish official, had reported that the Turkish state-owned banks Halkbank, Ziraat Bank, and VakıfBank decided to cease using the Russian Mir payment system. According to the agency, such moves by Turkish banks exemplify how "U.S. secondary sanctions compel countries to distance themselves from Moscow."

The banks' decision is also presumed to mark a shift in Turkey's stance regarding sanctions against the Russian Federation. "After private banks, state banks have also decided to stop using the 'Mir' system in Turkey. Currently, there are no banks in Turkey that use the 'Mir' system," the television station reported.

Meanwhile, a representative of Turkey's largest bank, Ziraat, told RIA Novosti's correspondent this morning that the organization had not received notifications about ceasing the use of the Russian Mir payment system.

Previously, Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan had stated that he could decide on the further use of the Russian "Mir" card in Turkey. Earlier, Turkish banks Ishbank and Denizbank had informed RIA Novosti that they had stopped servicing Russian Mir cards, citing the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the United Kingdom against the Russian Federation.

The acceptance and servicing of "Mir" payment system cards in foreign banks, particularly Turkish ones, will depend on the positions of the credit institutions.