After heated debate, EU to prepare new sanctions over Turkish gas drilling

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to prepare limited sanctions on Turkish individuals over an energy exploration dispute with Greece and Cyprus, postponing any harsher steps until March as countries sparred over how to handle Ankara.

Shying away from a threat made in October to consider wider economic measures, EU leaders agreed a summit statement that paves the way to punish individuals accused of planning or taking part in what the bloc says is unauthorised drilling off Cyprus.

The EU asset freezes of as-yet unnamed individuals and companies will be in addition to two officials already on a sanctions list set up in November 2019, as first reported by Reuters on Wednesday.

In their statement, which softened some criticism of Turkey in early drafts seen by Reuters, EU leaders told officials ''to adopt additional listings ... in view of Turkey’s unauthorised drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean''.