The European Union is concerned that Turkey maintains a close partnership with Russia despite the war in Ukraine and tough Western sanctions against Moscow, dpa reports.

Recep Erdogan and Vladimir PutinPhoto: Volodymyr Smirnov / TASS / Profimedia

The deepening of economic relations between Turkey and Russia is “a cause of great concern,” European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a letter to the European Parliament, German media group Funke reported on Sunday, as cited by Agerpres.

Another cause for concern is Turkey’s policy “not to join the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia,” the letter also states.

According to the same report, Borrell stressed that the EU and Turkey are in a customs union that guarantees the free movement of goods, including civilian and military dual-purpose goods. It is important that Turkey does not offer Russia any option to circumvent sanctions, Borrell warned.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that he will hold separate phone talks with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyi, on Sunday to seal a deal on grain exports via the Black Sea.

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