Let’s plan European security together, Erdoğan tells EU

ANKARA

Türkiye and the European Union should merge forces in planning European security, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, calling on Brussels to lift its restrictions on Ankara’s participation in the EU’s defense and security bodies.

Erdoğan joined on March 7 a videoconference meeting organized by the EU following an extraordinary meeting in Brussels that focused on the need to create a new European security architecture and on the prospects of peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

Hosted by European Council President Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President Erdoğan as well as the leaders of Britain, Norway, Canada and Iceland took part in the videoconference.

EU leaders agreed to ramp up armament efforts and create a new deterrent military structure following United States President Donald Trump’s statements that Washington may no longer be a part of European security.

Türkiye has become one of the non-EU NATO countries that can possibly contribute to European security as the second largest army of the alliance.

“We believe that planning all steps for European security together with Türkiye will be in our mutual interest. It is also important to obtain strong support of our ally, the U.S., and maintain maximum transatlantic bond in all these endeavors,” Erdoğan said.

Türkiye’s hi-tech defense industry is ready to contribute, the president said, by urging the EU to include Türkiye in different EU bodies, including the European Peace Facility that aims the reconstruction of Ukraine.

“We believe there is no justification for excluding us from the European Union's defense products procurement and reconstruction programs. It is important for us to be included in mechanisms like the European Peace Facility, which aims to reconstruct and revitalize Ukraine,” he said.

 Immediate ceasefire in Ukraine

On the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Erdoğan underscored the importance of a ceasefire between the parties, saying, “We support the idea of establishing a ceasefire as soon as possible and stopping attacks in the air and at sea as a confidence-building measure between the parties.”

Security of Europe is of the concern of all allies, Erdoğan said, expressing his wish to see the continuation of a realistic and inclusive approach on the way to create a new security structure as seen in the London summit on March 2 and this videoconference on March 7.

Recent developments have proven once again that Türkiye and the EU should act in line with a long-term and strategic vision, Erdoğan said, reiterating that full membership to the EU is still Türkiye’s main target.

“We maintain our goal of full membership. We expect the EU to adopt a strategic and visionary stance and to revive our membership negotiations. I hope that we’ll soon hold our high-level meetings,” the Turkish president stated.

Erdoğan also repeated Türkiye’s readiness to pledge all sorts of support and assistance to the efforts for the establishment of peace and stability in Ukraine, including hosting a potential summit between the two warring parties.