EU and  Turkey forming working group to address Russia sanctions

The European Union and Turkey are set to form a working group in order to overcome tensions between the sides caused by Russia sanctions, Deutsche Welle Turkish reported on Saturday.

 

The joint effort will seek too minimalize the risk of the evasion of sanctions imposed on Moscow via Turkey, it said, while circumventing possible future problems in the economic ties between Ankara the bloc, and the EU Customs Union

 

The EU has applied eight rounds of sanctions against Russia more than seven months into the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.

 

NATO member and EU hopeful Turkey has denounced Russia’s offensive against Ukraine, but unlike most other NATO and EU member nations, has stopped short of slapping punitive measures on Moscow and is seeking to mediate between the two warring sides in the hope of brokering a peace deal or a ceasefire.

 

Intensifying economic ties between Moscow and Ankara amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, is sparking fear among Western states, which are warning of the mounting risk of Ankara facing potential punitive retaliation if it assists Moscow in avoiding sanctions.

 

 

WATCH:  Turkey Is Facing Sanctions Again

 

The EU earlier this week expressed concern about Ankara’s continued policy of non-alignment with restrictive measures against Russia and strengthened trade and financial relations with Moscow.

 

“Ankara’s continued policy of not joining restrictive measures against Russia is worrisome because of the free movement of products, including dual-use goods, within the customs union between the EU and Turkey,” the European Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said on Wednesday.

 

Mairead McGuinness, the EU’s financial services commissioner, during a visit to Turkey earlier this week, stressed the issue of Russia sanctions with Turkish officials, DW Turkish said.

 

Turkey opened accession talks with the EU in 2005, pledging to strengthen its democracy, guarantee rule of law and match regulations governing the economy with those of the 27-member bloc. But the union froze talks on the chapters of Turkey’s accession following a military coup attempt in 2016, when it strayed further from Europe’s democratic standards.

Follow our  English language YouTube videos  @ REAL TURKEY:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpFJB4GFiNkhmpVZQ_d9Rg

 

And content at Twitter: @AtillaEng

 

Facebook:  Real Turkey Channel:   https://www.facebook.com/realturkeychannel/

 

 

 

 

Published By: Atilla Yeşilada

GlobalSource Partners’ Turkey Country Analyst Atilla Yesilada is the country’s leading political analyst and commentator. He is known throughout the finance and political science world for his thorough and outspoken coverage of Turkey’s political and financial developments. In addition to his extensive writing schedule, he is often called upon to provide his political expertise on major radio and television channels. Based in Istanbul, Atilla is co-founder of the information platform Istanbul Analytics and is one of GlobalSource’s local partners in Turkey. In addition to his consulting work and speaking engagements throughout the US, Europe and the Middle East, he writes regular columns for Turkey’s leading financial websites VATAN and www.paraanaliz.com and has contributed to the financial daily Referans and the liberal daily Radikal.