ANKARA (REUTERS) - Turkey's foreign ministry is preparing retaliatory sanctions against the United States after US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Ankara over its offensive in northeastern Syria, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Wednesday (Oct 16).

On Monday, Washington announced sanctions to punish Turkey for its offensive against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, but Trump's critics said the steps, mainly a steel tariff hike and a pause in trade talks, were too feeble to have an impact.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Kalin also said that US officials were clearly told Turkey would not declare a ceasefire in northern Syria and that it will not negotiate with Kurdish fighters.