ANKARA-Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to EU senior diplomat Josep Borrell’s call for Turkey to join sanctions against Russia, saying the European politician has no authority over relations between Moscow and Ankara, Turkish TV channel TRT reported. He added that he does not consider the Spanish diplomat at the level necessary to be his “interlocutor.”

“I do not perceive Borrell as my interlocutor. He can only be the interlocutor of Mevlut (Cavusoglu),” Erdogan said, referring to the Turkish foreign minister, calling the diplomat’s words “ugly.” “I want to say that Borrell can neither name nor regulate our relations with Russia. He has neither the quality nor the ability to make such a decision in these matters. It was a repugnant comment,” said the Turkish leader quoted by L’Antidiplomatico website.

Erdogan also recalled that Ankara mediates the grain agreement that allows grain exports from Ukrainian ports. “Where does 44 percent of the grain that Europe currently extracts come from? “It comes from the Black Sea, who is the mediator? Turkey. Any thanks for that? No. All the European leaders thank me, while you stand up and make such a statement.”

MOSCOW – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, referring to the latest developments in relations between Turkey and Syria, reiterated Moscow’s support for the normalization process, sees the need to arrive at a common denominator between these two important regional countries, “which would help ensure stability and peace in the region.” Since Nov. 20, Turkey has been conducting an air operation against the Syrian wing of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Syria: attacks have been reported in the city of Kobani, as well as in northern Iraq. Turkish President Erdogan called the operation a success and did not rule out that it would be followed by a ground operation.