EU top diplomat highlights Türkiye as ‘strategic partner'
ANKARA

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described Türkiye as a “strategic partner” during her visit to Ankara on Jan. 24, where she met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss bilateral ties.
"Glad to be in Ankara today... I am looking forward to meaningful discussions with political leaders and civil society to strengthen our ties," Kallas said in a post on X during her visit.
Türkiye is a strategic partner for the EU, she said, and there are good opportunities to deepen cooperation.
Discussions are expected to cover key issues, including reviving Türkiye's membership process, updating the Customs Union and accelerating the visa liberalization process.
Migration cooperation also featured prominently on the agenda, with a focus on "fair burden and responsibility sharing," according to Türkiye's Foreign Ministry.
The meetings are also set to address pressing regional matters, including efforts to achieve a diplomatic resolution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza and reconstruction efforts in Syria.
Fidan is expected to advocate for joint measures to lift sanctions on Syria and facilitate the safe return of Syrian refugees across Türkiye. The discussions came days before EU foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Jan. 27 to discuss sanctions related to Syria.
European capitals began reassessing their Syria policies after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad by insurgent forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Kallas and Fidan last met at a NATO gathering in December, followed by a phone call later that month focused on Syria. High-level engagements between Türkiye and the EU surged last year, with Fidan attending an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers after a five-year hiatus.
That meeting paved the way for a “high-level trade dialogue” and the return of some European Investment Bank activities in Türkiye, which had been suspended since 2019.
Kallas and Fidan's discussions followed the latter’s phone calls with his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Sergey Lavrov and Abbas Araghchi, on Jan. 23. The top diplomats discussed regional issues, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The formal negotiations started between Türkiye and the EU for the former’s joining the bloc in 2005, but the process has de facto been suspended by Brussels.
Ankara has long described it as a political decision and calls on the EU to adopt a fairer approach.