Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ramped up his anti-Western rhetoric, saying the era of a submissive Turkey bowing to every Western demand is over.

Erdogan's comments comes as top European Union officials hold talks with Turkey's foreign minister in Brussels on Tuesday.

Turkey has been mired in an escalating diplomatic row with Germany following the arrests last week of a group of human rights activists, including a German national, over terror-related charges. Earlier, a German-Turkish journalist was arrested for allegedly spying and aiding Kurdish rebels.

Erdogan said: "the West wants Turkey to bring about their demands no questions asked... I am sorry to say that Turkey no longer exists."

The Turkish leader refused to back down in the feud with Germany, saying his country would continue "to breathe down the neck of agents who run around freely" in Turkey.