As Turkey and the European Union engaged in a new effort to revive the country’s stalled membership talks, Ankara criticized the European Parliament’s insistence on cooperation in enforcing sanctions against Russia, according to Bloomberg.
Turkey is coming under increasing pressure from the EU and the US to join their campaign to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. While implementing binding United Nations penalties, Turkey is refusing to join any other sanctions efforts on grounds that could complicate its self-declared mediation attempts between Kyiv and Moscow.
At the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi last weekend, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged several leaders to meet some of Russia’s demands to try to revive the Black Sea deal that had allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and eased global food prices.
The US and its allies have resisted calls to ease the sanctions that he suggested. Earlier: Erdogan Urges G-20 to Meet Russian Demands on Grain Deal
EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi welcomed Turkey’s efforts to revive the grain agreement but urged its government to cooperate with the bloc.
“It is essential that Turkey remains engaged with the EU, also on the implementation of sanctions against Russia, in particular as regards the sanctioned products,” Varhelhi said in his opening remarks as the European Parliament revealed its non-binding resolution on Wednesday.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the parliament report was “a collection of unfounded allegations and prejudices” and demonstrated that its members fail to develop “the right strategic approach to the EU, as well as to our region.”
The ministry added that updating a Customs Union deal with the EU and finalizing visa liberalization talks for Turkish citizens without delay were the common objectives of Turkey and the bloc at the moment.