Russian Envoy to EU Predicts Turkey to Renege on Promise to Keep Refugees

Turkey is unlikely to deliver on its promise to Brussels to stem the refugee flow from the Middle East to the European Union, Russia's envoy to the bloc Vladimir Chizhov said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Chizhov cited the latest summit of 11 worst-hit EU nations earlier this month that ended in an exchange of "harsh mutual accusations" between Turkey and European countries.

"I think there will be big troubles with…the EU following through on its promises to Turkey, as well as Turkey’s promises to the EU," Chizhov said during a video linkup between Moscow and Brussels, organized by Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.

EU leaders blamed Turkey for failing to stop migrants from crossing into Europe, Chizhov said, while Ankara said it had not received financial aid it was promised under the European Commission's plan to curb the migrant influx.

The European Commission set up a 3-billion-euro fund for Turkey in November, of which some 500 million have been transferred to Turkey to help it bolster border security and accommodate some 2.2 million Syrian refugees. The rest is still to be donated to the fund by EU members.