Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission cannot confirm the allegations made about mercenaries.

The European Union (EU) maintains a political dialogue with Turkey on foreign and security policy issues, including as part of consultations with the Turkish Foreign Minister and at senior officials meetings.

At the same time, in the latest report on Turkey[1] accompanying the 2020 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy, the Commission noted that Turkey’s foreign policy is increasingly colliding with the EU priorities under the common foreign and security policy (CFSP). The Commission also stressed that, in the coming year, Turkey should inter alia take decisive steps to significantly improve alignment with EU declarations and Council decisions on CFSP, and enhance the political dialogue on foreign and security policy with the EU.

• [1] SWD(2020) 355 final. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD%3A2020%3A355%3AFIN