German media group Funke on Sunday reported that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed worry over the deepening of economic relations between Moscow and Ankara, stating it is “a growing cause for concern” as cited in a letter he wrote to the EU Parliament.

Borrel said that both countries had signed a customs agreement to ensure the free movement of dual-purpose goods, that is, goods that can be used for civil and military purposes, further warning "it was important that Turkey did not offer Russia any solution to the sanctions."

Last week, the leaders of both Turkey and Russia held telephone conversations to discuss a wide aray of issues and projects, including the expansion of the gas hub project suggested by Moscow.

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"As you know, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin put forward a gas hub project in Turkey to redistribute gas to Europe. We are now making preparations for this," Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan was reported saying on December 4, noting that projects related to natural gas are not bound to wells in the Black and Mediterranean seas.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, Ankara has never approved of Western imposed sanctions of Russia, going as far as critiquing the West's approach in undermining the strength of Russia. 

On November 12, Erdogan said that the West, with particular emphasis on the US, was "attacking Russia almost without restrictions."

"Russia is not an ordinary state, it is a powerful state. Of course, the West, led by the US, attacks Russia almost without restrictions. In the face of all this, Russia, of course, is resisting. We are also trying to figure out how we can open a corridor for peace from here... We believe that the best way to do this could be from dialogue to peace," Erdogan told reporters.

Read more: US warns Turkey that cooperation with Russia could result in sanctions