Key facts
- EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
- The meeting aimed to deepen EU-Turkey relations amidst geopolitical shifts.
- Key discussion topics included foreign policy alignment on the Middle East and regional security.
- Economic cooperation, including the Middle Corridor trade route, was prioritized.
- The visit preceded a significant NATO summit in Ankara.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara to deepen bilateral relations and discuss regional stability ahead of a critical NATO summit. The visit, which also included Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, focused on advancing cooperation in foreign policy, connectivity, trade, and migration.
Discussions centered on aligning foreign policy approaches to issues in the Middle East, including Iran, Syria, and Gaza, as well as broader regional security concerns such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Black Sea security. Both sides expressed a commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based international order. Turkey's potential support for a future EU mission in Lebanon and enhanced security cooperation with Ukraine were also on the agenda.
Economically, the EU prioritized the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, as an alternative trade link between Europe and Central Asia that bypasses Russia. Talks also touched upon modernizing Turkey's access to the EU customs union and Turkey's participation in the Single European Payments Area. The EU also seeks closer cooperation on border management and combating illegal migration.
Despite the push for rapprochement, the meeting occurred amidst lingering differences, including concerns over human rights and the rule of law in Turkey, and a recent comparison by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of Turkey with Russia and China in terms of foreign influence. The status of Cyprus, an EU member state partially occupied by Turkey, was also mentioned in the joint communique.