Europe and the US Will Be Enforcing Sanctions on Turkey in a Few Weeks

Europe and the US Will Be Enforcing Sanctions on TurkeyAccording to the Wall Street Journal (20.6.19), Europe and the US will be enforcing sanctions on Turkey in the next few weeks. This is in response to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decisions to drill for oil in the Eastern Mediterranean and his planned purchase of a Russian missile-defense system. The Turkish Lira’s value responded accordingly.

According to WSJ, they will be targeting ‘Turkey’s state, companies and individuals.’ EU leaders decided to support these sanctions after Turkey on Thursday dispatched a second drilling vessel to the region.

“The EU will continue to closely monitor developments and stands ready to respond appropriately and in full solidarity with Cyprus,” the leaders said in a joint statement, asking for the 28-member bloc’s executive to “submit options for appropriate measures without delay, including targeted measures.”

A senior EU official said after the meeting that unless Turkey reverses course, targeted sanctions could be drawn up and implemented over the summer.

“We are in full solidarity with Cyprus. What Turkey is doing in the territorial waters of Cyprus is completely unacceptable,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. He said the EU response “will not be soft measures.”

President Erdogan threatened to respond in kind to any U.S. sanctions during a rare briefing Thursday for international media. He expressed hope that President Trump would prevent such escalation.

Some EU leaders are worried that Erdogan is copying Russia’s President Putin and is intending to encroach firstly on Cypriot territory and then next will challenge neighboring Greece’s territory.

“Turkey will continue to defend its interest together with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, just as it has done until now,” Mr. Erdogan said Thursday at the sending-off ceremony for the second drilling vessel.

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