President Erdogan calls for stronger and institutionalised ties with EU

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a stronger and more institutionalised relationship with the European Union, reiterating that Türkiye remains committed to this goal as a candidate country.

Turkish President's remarks came during a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday.

Erdogan expressed hope for the EU to take concrete steps toward updating the Customs Union agreement and accelerating visa processes for Turkish citizens until full visa liberalisation is achieved.

“Our relations with the EU should not be held hostage by the narrow agenda of certain member states,” Erdogan stated, highlighting the need for a more pragmatic approach to Türkiye-EU ties.

Ankara’s EU membership negotiations started in 2005 but entered a stalemate after 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and political opposition to Türkiye’s membership by several member states.

Maintaining Syria’s sovereignty

On the subject of regional issues, Erdogan stressed the importance of maintaining Syria’s territorial integrity and establishing an inclusive administration in the war-torn country.

“We have seen that we share a common understanding on the preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity and the establishment of a participatory administration,” he said, referring to his discussions with von der Leyen.

Erdogan also underlined Türkiye’s role in combating terrorism, noting that Türkiye is the only NATO ally to have defeated both the PKK and Daesh on the battlefield.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged Türkiye’s legitimate security concerns in Syria.

She also pointed out that the EU remains Syria’s largest donor and called for a shift in focus toward reconstruction efforts in the country.

“The EU’s support must be realised with a new focus, and we need to concentrate on reconstruction,” von der Leyen added.