The rift between the EU and Turkey appears to be deepening even more, following statements by Turkish President Recep Erdogan that his country would scrap the refugee deal if the EU did not completely lift the visa travel restrictions on Turkish nationals, and the response by the head of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker that Turkey would have to implement the 72 requirements without exception for visa free travel in the EU. Speaking to French Le Monde, Erdogan accused the EU of teasing Turkey for 53 years. ‘We are at the gates of Europe for 53 years. The EU is solely responsible and guilty of this’, he said. He claimed the EU was being disingenuous to Turkey on the refugee crisis, warning that if Turkey’s remands were not accepted, the readmission of refugees into Turkey would stop. ‘The west contradicts the principles it defends. It should show solidarity to the Turks, who have adopted democratic values. Unfortunately, it chose to abandon Turkey (reference to the military coup)’, he stressed. On its part the European Commission responded via its spokesperson Mina Andreeva, who referred journalists to the recent interview by the body’s president, Jean Claude Juncker to German media that Turkey would have to completely comply with all 72 requirements laid down in order for the travel visa restrictions to be lifted. ‘Reality demands we cooperate with our neighbours. Not because we particularly like their governments, but because we are obliged to help those suffering’, Juncker said in an interview, referring to the EU-Turkey refugee deal. Meanwhile, Turkey is trying to rekindle ties with Russia after their relations rapidly deteriorated following the shooting down of a Russian airplane over Syria and the death of Russian pilot in 2015. Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin St. Petersburg in an effort to put an end to tensions of the recent past and start from a clean slate. ‘This visit is a landmark in our bilateral relations that start from a clean slate’, Erdogan told TASS news agency.