EU warns Turkey on ties with Russia ahead of Erdogan-Putin meeting
The European Commission’s annual report on Turkey criticizes Ankara for increasing trade and financial relations with Russia, inviting Russian oligarchs to the country and undermining EU sanctions against Russia.
The European Union is concerned with Ankara’s continued policy of non-alignment with restrictive measures against Russia and increased trade and financial relations with Moscow, the European commissioner for enlargement said Wednesday.
The red flag on Turkish-Russian ties from the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, comes as Oliver Varhelyi, the commissioner responsible for neighborhood and enlargement, outlined the annual country reports for the seven EU candidates.
Addressing first the members of the European Parliament and then journalists on the annual reports, the Hungarian commissioner praised Turkey’s efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine and its vital role in the agreement on the export of grains from Ukraine.
“But, at the same time, Ankara has also decided to increase trade and financial relations with Russia … and signed a memorandum of understanding.”
