Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades condemned the European Union's "double standards" and "tolerance" toward Turkey, arguing that it encourages Ankara to ignore international law and risks triggering a new conflict on the continent.

In an interview with Euronews, Anastasiades sharply criticized Turkey's actions and criticized his fellow EU leaders for limiting their solidarity with Nicosia to "words."

According to Anastasiades, the EU's many political and economic ties with Turkey allow the country to maintain its status as a candidate for membership in the bloc, giving Ankara a kind of diplomatic shield.

"We [the EU] can say that Russia violates international law, but when international law is violated by a candidate country against other members of the European Union, we pretend not to understand it," Anastasiades said.  "It is this tolerance that gives [Turkey] courage and creates the risk of a new conflict in Europe."