Turkey claims 'no need' for US, EU as Western ties deteriorate
After a week of sparring with the United States, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused European allies of undermining Turkey and dared them to walk away from EU membership talks.
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Even as tensions with the United States continue to churn, Turkey has turned its ire on European partners, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Brussels of double-dealing and daring it to unilaterally end Turkey’s decadeslong membership bid ahead of a summit this week.
Relations with the United States hit a nadir after Washington suspended non-immigration visas in Turkey on Oct. 8 following the arrest of a second consular employee. Turkey responded in kind, and Erdogan spent much of last week blasting Washington. “We are not beholden to you,” he thundered.