Turkey on Wednesday threatened to unilaterally scrap a March 2016 deal with the EU that has substantially reduced the flow of migrants and refugees to Europe, in an escalating diplomatic crisis.

"We can stop it (the deal) unilaterally. We have not yet informed our (EU) counterparts, all of this is in our hands," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told 24 TV in an interview. "From now on, we can say 'we will not apply it and it will be over'," he added, lambasting the EU for failing to allow Turks visa-free travel in return for the deal.