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Ankara – Europe and the United States simultaneously sent a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, indicating that they do not accept the de facto policy that Turkey wants to impose within NATO by purchasing a Russian missile system that contradicts the alliance’s policy, for one side, and through gas exploration in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean. It does not belong to your country, on the other hand.
European Union leaders agreed to prepare limited sanctions against Turkish figures in a dispute with Greece and Cyprus over energy exploration, and to postpone any tougher steps until next March.
EU leaders have been reluctant to implement the October threat to consider broader economic measures, instead agreeing to a statement at the summit that paved the way for the punishment of those accused of planning or participating in what the European bloc says they are unauthorized drilling in Cyprus.
These steps did not go as far as Greece wanted, as its envoys expressed Athens’ disappointment at the European Union’s reluctance to target the Turkish economy due to the oil and gas conflict, while Germany, Italy and Spain pressed to give more time to diplomacy.
France, angered by Turkish foreign policy in Syria and Libya, tried to pressure the European Union to consider imposing sanctions on sectors of the Turkish economy, but this did not garner broad support.
Despite limited procedures, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday welcomed the European Union’s demonstration of “steadfastness” towards Turkey. He said: “We gave Turkey a chance” in October, but “we unanimously note that Turkey continues its provocative activities.”
While Turkey’s Foreign Ministry called the European decision “illegal,” Erdogan sought to reduce the effectiveness of this decision, betting on a division within the European ranks regarding those sanctions.
In an interview with journalists in Istanbul, Erdogan said that “some European Union countries that have a solid logic showed a positive approach and thwarted this game.
“There is an expectation now to discuss any measure at the March summit of the European Union,” he added. Let me clarify that nothing can come out of this meeting.
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom Erdogan refers to when he talks about countries that have solid logic, did not rule out extending the moratorium on German arms exports to Turkey. He also indicated the need to wait for a report from the EU foreign affairs official on a possible extension of EU sanctions.
Observers believe that Ankara is benefiting from the state of confusion experienced by the European decision, as it found in this confusion an opportunity to continue the challenge and move forward on its own, despite the controls on NATO membership.
Under the headline “Turkey is Europe’s other big headache,” writer David Gardner said in the British Financial Times that “Turkey is a difficult partner; It is a member of NATO, but buys Russian air defense systems. It is a member of the G20, but it hosts Hamas. “
The writer considered that Erdogan had concluded that “deploying hard power abroad would serve him better than compatibility with the weak soft power of Europeans, from Syria to Libya,” and noted that the Turkish president is bent on “the new unity. ottoman “. It claims the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean and their gas resources. “
But the matter may be different with Washington, which has not accepted Erdogan’s appeal to Russia to buy a missile system instead of a NATO-approved missile system, and the US position may become tougher when the president elect Joe Biden takes office next month.
On Friday, the United States Senate finally approved the defense financing bill that includes sanctions against Turkey.
The project includes the imposition of sanctions on Turkey in the context of its acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system. The sanctions are aimed at the largest arms manufacturers and several Turkish businessmen.
These sanctions range from medium to severe and can be directed at individuals or entities, as well as the financial sector, as well as loans from US or international institutions, as well as transactions in the real estate and commodity exchange sectors. These include the imposition of sanctions on the executives of the companies affected by the sanctions, as well as the refusal to grant travel visas to the employees of these companies.
Erdogan viewed Washington’s use of the “Katsa” law against his country as an insult to an important NATO partner.
“We will see better the new trends in the United States after the handover of power, and we will wait before evaluating things,” he added.
Turkey’s decision to purchase the S-400 system came at a direct cost, as the country was mainly kicked out of the US-led F-35 fighter program.
The relationship between Washington and Ankara is strained due to a series of problems that go beyond Turkey’s decision to buy advanced military equipment from Russia. The two countries also disagree on US support for Syrian Kurdish militants, whom Turkey considers “terrorists.” Turkey also differs from the United States in its conflict with Cyprus and Greece over the maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean.
