ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Responding to mounting criticism from the European Union, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged the EU to halt membership talks with Ankara.

Erdogan on Wednesday added that the EU wouldn't be able to reach a "final point" and end its ties with Turkey out of fears of jeopardizing a deal on the curbing of the flow of migrants to Europe.

His comments came as the EU prepared to publish a report on Turkey to assess its standing as EU candidate country. It is widely expected to be critical of Turkey's clampdown on media freedoms and the arrests of a group of pro-Kurdish legislators.

Erdogan said: "They say unabashedly and shamelessly that the EU should review its negotiations with Turkey...Don't just review them — go and make your final decision."