Erdogan says Turkey could 'part ways' with EU if necessary

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said that Ankara could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary when asked about the contents of a European Parliament report on Turkey.
Turkey has been an official candidate to join the EU for 24years, but accession talks have stalled in recent years over the bloc's concerns about human rights violations and respect for the rule of law.

"The EU is trying to break away from Turkey," Erdogan told reporters ahead of a trip to the United States. "We will make our evaluations against these developments and if necessary, we can part ways with the EU."