Turkey condemns the deal on the construction of the EastMed gas pipeline, signed by Israel, Cyprus and Greece, Turkish MFA spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

"[T]he most economical and safe route for the transmission [of natural gas] to consumer markets in Europe, including our country, is Turkey,” Forbes reported referring to Aksoy.

According to the source, "Aksoy accused the contracting parties of a “vicious” political ploy to isolate Turkey in the Mediterranean, where it has a long-running territorial dispute with EU member Cyprus. Turkey has for years occupied the northern half of the island of Cyprus, where it is the only government that recognizes a de facto state called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus."

Three countries in Athens signed an interstate deal on the construction of the EastMed gas pipeline to supply gas from the fields of the Eastern Mediterranean to continental Europe. The ceremony was attended by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Cyprus' President Nikos Anastasiadis and Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.