Erdogan: Turkey's roads with European Union may part

16 сентября 2023

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement that the roads of Turkey and the European Union may part, writes RIA Novosti.

Erdogan previously said that the West has not kept the word given to Turkey for 50 years, slowing down the process of the country's accession to the EU.

"If you want to know my assessment very clearly, the European Union is seeking to get separate from Turkey. In this period when the European Union is taking steps to separate from Turkey, we are making our assessments in light of these developments, and after these assessments, if necessary, our roads with the European Union may part," Erdogan told a news conference at the airport in Istanbul before flying to the United States for the UN General Assembly.

Erdogan said earlier that Sweden's accession to NATO would be possible after Turkey is admitted to the EU. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg later said Erdogan had agreed to send the papers for ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid to the Turkish parliament "as soon as possible." Sweden, as a member of the European Union, has promised to help boost Turkey's EU accession process in exchange for ratifying the application. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Turkey is not wanted in Europe, Ankara should not wear rose-colored glasses.