The French government is leading the European Union’s push to impose sanctions on Turkey next month to follow through with the threat the EU made in October. However, the French President Macron is yet to win the member countries’ backing beyond Cyprus and Greece.
Paris has maintained that the Turkish state did not heed the European Union’s warning last month to back down in a dispute over its gas explorations in the Mediterranean or face the consequences. On Thursday, the European parliament is expected to call for sanctions on Turkey.
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During a parliamentary this week, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, said that Ankara’s authorities know what needs to be done. He added that whether collaboration or confrontations, it is up to the Turkish government.
On December 10 and 11, the European nations’ leaders are expected to meet to discuss the bloc’s external relations, including the ongoing tension between Turkey and its member states, Greece and Cyprus. In response, the Turkish officials have criticized the discussion on sanctions against Ankara and said that such debate was not “hopeful.”
However, no details of the potential EU sanctions have been drawn up yet. RushHourDaily reported that the measures limiting Turkish hydrocarbon explorations in the Mediterranean would hit the country’s economy and its plans. Moreover, the plans to broaden Ankara’s trade preferences in the EU are also at stake. Austria has stated that Turkey’s status as a candidate to join the block should immediately end.
Following the French state’s stance on the derogatory caricatures of Islam’s prophet, Erdogan called for the boycott of French products, which diplomats suggest were not good for trade relations between Ankara and the European bloc. But given the importance of Turkey in the region, especially as a key partner, experts suggest that it is too early for many states to support the sanctions.
As a NATO partner, the European Union cannot fully ignore Ankara’s importance in the geopolitical landscape. And the support for any potential sanctions lies with Germany, which currently holds the bloc’s presidency. Germany had hoped to end the crisis through brokering talks between the two nations but was angered when Ankara sent its exploration ships last month.
Turkey has maintained that the European Union has unfairly sided with its member states, Cyprus and Greece. But last week, a key aide of the Turkish President met the bloc officials in Brussels and stated that Ankara is ready to start talks with Greece.
