The European Union on Monday condemned the Turkish military operation in northern Syria and will adopt "restrictive measures". The United Kingdom, however, has refused the embargo on arms sales to Turkey.

The European Union on Monday condemned the Turkish military operation in northern Syria and is preparing sanctions against illegal drilling by Turkey off Cyprus, foreign ministers said in a statement. The EU has agreed to adopt "restrictive measures against natural and legal persons responsible or involved in illegal oil drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean", say the statements adopted by the ministers in Luxembourg.

UK refuses embargo on arms sales to Turkey

Member states, however, have failed to impose an arms embargo on Turkey because of opposition from the United Kingdom, diplomatic sources said. They simply pledged to "take firm national positions on their arms export policy to Turkey," the statement said. The fact that Turkey is a member of NATO has been advanced as an argument by the United Kingdom to reject the embargo.

The EU called for "a ministerial meeting of the International Coalition against Daesh (Islamic State Jihadist Group) to consider how to continue its efforts in the current context". Turkey and the United States are members of this coalition, for which the Kurds targeted by the military operation of Turkey fought.