Germany Turkey

EghtesadOnline: Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to respond “more decisively” against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after two German citizens were taken into custody in Turkey on Friday, as she ruled out an expansion of the European Union customs union amid tensions.

EghtesadOnline: Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan bashed Germany, NATO, the U.S. and Israel in a speech to his party on Tuesday, signaling an accelerated political realignment away from the West as he seeks to conclude a missile defense deal with Russia.

EghtesadOnline: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is right to act against what he called unacceptable Turkish policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who he said seeks to quench the country’s opposition.

EghtesadOnline: Germany’s foreign minister penned a memo to Turks defending his government’s actions, the latest move in a diplomatic feud between the countries that also saw Germany getting support from the European Union.