In an interview before her recent visit to Istanbul, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would refuse Turkey’s request for EU membership, adding that she sees accession negotiations as an open-ended process. Given that position, it is hard to think of Germany's proposal to pay Turkey 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion as of Nov. 18), ease visas restrictions and expedite accession negotiations as sincere and realistic.
European Union leaders meeting at the EU-Africa migration summit Nov. 11-12 in Malta agreed, at least in theory, to pay Turkey 3 billion euros to stop the refugee flow to Europe or slow it down; to reinforce Turkey’s border controls to prevent access to Europe; and to improve the conditions of refugees in Turkey.