The European Union (EU) expressed its concern on Sunday that Turkey maintains close ties with Russia, despite the war in Ukraine and harsh Western sanctions against Moscow.
The deepening of economic ties between Turkey and Russia is “a cause for great concern,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a letter to the EU parliament, the Funke Media Group reported this Sunday.
Also of concern is Turkey’s continued policy of “not complying with EU restrictive measures against Russia,” it said in the letter.
According to this information, Borrell indicated that the EU and Turkey form a customs union, which guarantees the free movement of goods, including dual-use goods, goods that can be used for civilian and military purposes.
“It was important that Turkey did not offer Russia a solution to the sanctions,” Borrell warned.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to meet with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts this weekend to discuss “strengthening” a UN-sponsored deal for a Black Sea grain corridor.
The calls with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymir Zelensky come amid ongoing issues over the July deal, negotiated by the United Nations and Turkey, which would allow the export of Ukrainian grain through a Black Sea corridor.
Source: DN
