(Reporting by Robin Emmott Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Luke Baker)
Russia and Turkey moving closer together, at U.S. expense.
And Turkey trying to blackmail the EU nations into changing many policy stands vis-a-vis Turkey, which if the EU nations cave to it will move Islamists deeper into Europe, and if opposed will sharpen Europe divisions about (a) Nato, (b) expansion of the EU, (c) expansion of Nato and (d) countering Russian influence and intrigue vis-a-vis Ukraine directly and the rest of Europe by covert war craft and trade pressures (energy for western Europe).
Most of that would not be in play now if the EU had never considered expanding the EU to Turkey in the first place, and if Europe had never considered the Middle East refugee problem its problem. ALL the Middle East refugees should have been the problem of Middle East countries, not Europe.
Totally expected, but is an important marker for NATO (EAST) big time!
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MOSCOW HAS BEEN PRESSING FOR.
Not counting nukes, Turkey is far and away, stronger as a military and strategic threat, than any country in Europe at the present.
After things get rough, the pendulum will swing.
Outlook for Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Maldova, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, AND Israel has now negatively and *formally shifted.
Get our cr@p out of Turkey NOW!!!!!!!!!