Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

S-400 - Photo: EnglishRussia.com

Western states should not expect Turkey to blindly follow their instructions anymore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ahead of talks between Turkish and EU officials. He also supported the deal on S-400 missile defense systems with Russia.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said dialogue between Turkey and the European Union needs to continue despite having several setbacks, Daily Sabah reported.

The backbone of the relationship between Turkey and the EU is the accession negotiations, EU Minister Ömer Çelik said on July 25 following a meeting in Brussels that came after months-long tension between the two sides.

Up to 20,000 refugees from the fenced city of Varosha, and three Maronite villages in Famagusta, may be allowed to return under Turkish-Cypriot administration said Turkish-Cypriot media.

According to Turkish-Cypriot newspaper Detay, the Turkish-Cypriot and Turkish side are preparing to make unilateral steps after the collapse of the Conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana.

 Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission and Johannes Hahn Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations are hosting the EU - Turkey High Level Political Dialogue in Brussels, IBNA reported.

Opening negotiation chapters is vital to revive ties between Turkey and the European Union, Turkey's EU Minister Ömer Çelik has said just a day before a Turkey-EU political dialogue meeting is set to take place in Brussels following months-long tension between the two sides.

The Turkish economy could be harmed if growing tensions with the bloc, and especially with Germany, get out of hand, said EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, on the eve of talks in Brussels with senior Turkish officials.

Hahn said the country that is a candidate to join the bloc is "slipping away from European values."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in the Saudi city of Jeddah on July 23 on the first leg of his Gulf tour, which will also include Kuwait and Qatar.

Erdoğan was greeted by a number of Saudi officials upon his arrival at the King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud International Airport in Jeddah.

As diplomatic efforts intensify to ease the tensions in Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israel's following violence near a holy site, the Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers spoke on the phone on July 23, downplaying the diplomatic disputes between the two countries. 

As diplomatic efforts intensify to ease the tensions in Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israel's following violence near a holy site, the Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers spoke on the phone on July 23, downplaying the diplomatic disputes between the two countries.