Whether it is Emmanuel Macron’s “Europe as a power” or the “geopolitical” Commission envisioned by President Ursula von der Leyen, the ambition is clear: to establish the European Union as an actor capable of influencing the behavior of both its partners and adversaries. This involves trade agreements but also a more assertive geopolitical and diplomatic positioning.
The main point of tension at the European border is located in the Eastern Mediterranean, in the Greek and Cypriot territorial waters, rich in hydrocarbon deposits, which Turkey covets. In August, Ankara sent a ship to conduct drilling in violation of international law. The power dynamic between the Union and Turkey is also defined by migration issues and the agreement signed between the two powers, which the Turkish capital, Ankara, has previously refused to implement.
On the Turkish issue, the Union must skillfully alternate between carrot and stick, between sanctions and extended hands, which has notably manifested in the form of visa bans and the freezing of assets in the EU of several Turkish economic figures. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, is expected to provide by March a detailed report outlining the strategy to adopt in dealings with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoฤan. All the sanctions available to the EU might be employed, added European Council President Charles Michel.
It should be noted that in its legal arsenal of sanctions, the EU now has a new tool: the European Magnitsky Act, allowing it to target directly individuals or entities, and not just states or sectors of activity.
