On Wednesday, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that EU Foreign Ministers would meet on 13 July to discuss Turkey, noting that new sanctions could be considered.
Speaking at a Parliamentary hearing, Le Drian said that the EU meeting will be at France’s request and added that new sanctions against Ankara may be envisaged.
He pointed out that sanctions have already been administered by the EU over Turkey’s drilling in Cyprus’ economic zone.
“Turkey’s efforts to forge a maritime zone across to Libya affect a swathe of nations. It’s shipments of arms to its allies in the conflict and dispatch of extremists fighters has also challenged both EU and NATO policy”, he noted.
Last week, Le Drian demanded a discussion “without taboos” within the EU on its relationship with Turkey, which officially remains a candidate to join the bloc despite a stalled membership process.
“France considers it essential that the European Union very quickly opens a comprehensive discussion … on the prospects for its future relationship with Ankara”, he told the French Senate.
Last year the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) and Turkey signed two MoU’s on military cooperation and maritime borders.
Ankara has since sent military advisers, trainers, and thousands of Syrian fighters to Libya in support of the GNA.