Russian official advises Turkey to drop ‘illusions’ over EU bid
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A Russian top official said on Tuesday that none of the European countries wants Turkey to join the European Union, and advised it to stop viewing things through “rose-colored glasses.”
“Nobody in Europe is looking forward to Turkey joining the European Union,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on whether the Kremlin sees an increasingly pro-Western turn in Ankara’s policies.
Peskov was responding to a question about NATO member Turkey’s decision to lift its opposition to Sweden joining the alliance on the eve of a two-day NATO summit in Lithuania.
He noted, “Our Turkish partners should take off their rose-colored glasses.”
He further added that “let’s call a spade a spade, nobody wants to see Turkey as a part of Europe, and I mean the Europeans [themselves].”
Peskov concluded that Russia will continue developing its relations with Turkey wherever it may benefit both sides.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 10 that the EU should resume stalled talks on Turkey’s bid to join the bloc in exchange for Ankara endorsing Sweden’s application to join NATO.
Turkey applied for the EU membership in 1987 but, after several obstacles, talks over this issue froze in 2018.