Greece Demands Turkey Participate in Sanctions Against Russia

Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsioti has stated that the European Union must exert pressure on Turkey to impose sanctions against Russia; otherwise, a significant blow will not be dealt to the Russian economy.

Varvitsioti made a brief statement upon arriving in Arles, France, for an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers. He also expressed concern about the recent events in Ukraine, particularly following the nighttime strikes on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and emphasized the need for cooperation among all EU and NATO member countries so that "the sanctions have meaning" and compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to change his strategy.

"That is why we will ask our partners in the EU to put pressure on Turkey to meet the demands of other EU countries regarding the imposition of economic sanctions. Without Turkey, those sanctions will not deal as significant a blow to the Russian economy as we would like," the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister said.

It should be noted that Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated on March 1 that Turkey does not wish to participate in sanctions against Russia. Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has also remarked that Ankara must act with its country's priorities in mind and does not plan to impose sanctions against Moscow. Over the past weekend, Western countries have initiated new sanctions against Russia.