The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Turkey is not making it easier for Russia to circumvent European sanctions, despite its failure to align itself with EU restrictive measures in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.
In a question and answer session with MEPs on the consequences of the war in Ukraine on food security, the head of European diplomacy has indicated that the data provided by Ankara are not conclusive about a possible «triangulation» of European sanctions through Turkey.
Borrell explained that he discussed this issue with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at a recent meeting in the Emirates and the data he provided on trade flows do not confirm that Turkey is helping Moscow to circumvent the sanctions by conducting business transactions with Ankara as an intervening actor.
«Turkey has been criticized for its perceived role in helping to circumvent European sanctions. Certainly the data provided by (Cavusoglu) show that there was significant increase in exports from Turkey to Russia, but not a significant increase in imports from Europe,» the High Representative stressed to parliamentarians.
During the war in Ukraine, the Turkish authorities have avoided aligning themselves with the restrictions approved by Europe and its Western partners, even playing a role as a ‘hub’ for the redistribution of Russian gas, something Borrell did not want to go into.
On these announcements by Ankara, the EU foreign spokesman warned that «this is not the time to increase cooperation with Russia», pointing out that things «cannot go on as usual» with Moscow, when it commits war crimes in the framework of its invasion of Ukraine.
