EU leaders agree on expanding economic sanctions on Turkey as Mediterranean row escalate

European Union leers, on December 11, agreed on expanding sanctions against Turkey over its exploration of gas reserves in Mediterranean waters, claimed by EU members Greece and Cyprus. Regrettably, Turkey has engd in “unilateral actions and provocations and escalated its rhetoric against EU, EU member states and European leers”, y said in a statement from ir summit in Brussels. However, se sanctions seem to have little or effect over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who, last week, asserted that he was “t concerned” by any kind of ecomic sanction by EU.   

EU leers collectively asked EU Policy chief Josep Borrell to draw a report on State of EU-Turkey political, ecomic and tre relations and to suggest how to proceed on imposition of sanctions. y urged him to submit a final report by time y hold ir next summit in March 2021. " stakes are very precise, very clear: credibility of European Union", Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was quoted as saying by AP.

European countries have been divided on how to handle Turkey. While France and Cyprus, both have supported ecomic sanctions, or nations are have reckoned softer measures in a bid t destabilize country’s alrey plummeting ecomy. As per Euractiv,  Germany and Bulgaria even tried to block sanction in Brussels summit.

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Turkey-EU relations

Meanwhile, relations between Turkey and European Union have t been at its best for past several months over Ankara's "illegal" gas exploration expeditions in Mediterranean Sea, especially in areas claimed by EU-member state Greece. Turkey and EU are also at loggerhes over Cyprus island issue, which is currently being controlled by Ankara in rth and Ans in south since 1974 Turkish invasion. EU is also contemplating sanctions over Erdogan's recent visit to Turkish Cypriot island, a move which angered bloc. 

Turkey and European Union are both members of rth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which makes row even more distressing for both sides. It remains to be seen how Ankara and Brussels would take ir relationship forward, if EU goes ahe with planned sanctions during forthcoming Summit on December 10-11.

Previously, European Council President Charles Michel has warned Turkey t to play “cat and mouse” by withdrawing ships before EU summits, only to redeploy m afterwards.

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