Erdoğan says EU faces ‘historic’ decision on Türkiye’s bid

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reiterated Türkiye’s longstanding goal of full membership in the European Union, saying the bloc faces a “historic decision” on whether to embrace Ankara at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty.

Speaking to reporters on his return flight from Kazakhstan after attending the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States, Erdoğan said Türkiye sought EU membership not as a rival to Europe but as a partner that would strengthen the bloc.

“Türkiye is a great opportunity for the European Union and the Union is in a position to make a historic decision on evaluating this opportunity,” Erdoğan said, according to remarks released on May 17. “Europe has arrived at a crossroads and must assess the situation much more carefully.”

Erdoğan said some EU member states viewed Türkiye as a competitor, contributing to the long-stalled accession process, but insisted Ankara remained committed to membership despite what he described as discriminatory treatment over the years.

“Türkiye is not a country that becomes a burden on the structures it joins, but one that takes on responsibility,” he said. “Every platform that includes us becomes a rising value.”

Türkiye has been an official EU candidate since 1999, but accession talks have effectively stalled for years over disputes related to democratic standards, human rights and regional tensions.

The president also highlighted the importance of the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit that Türkiye will host in Ankara on July 7-8, describing it as a critical meeting for the future of the alliance.

“The world today is not the same world as when NATO was founded,” Erdoğan said. “Threats have become more complex, risks have diversified and the global system has eroded.”

He said Ankara expected “important decisions” at the summit regarding the future of NATO and the shape of the global security architecture, while calling for fairer burden-sharing and stronger cooperation within the alliance.

“Türkiye is ready to do its part for a more determined and better prepared NATO against threats,” he said.

On regional tensions involving the United States and Iran, Erdoğan blamed Israel for escalating instability in the Middle East through what he described as ongoing provocations.

“Israel wants this war to spread across the region and for the uncertainty in our region to deepen,” Erdoğan said.

He said Türkiye was working to prevent the crisis from turning into a broader conflict and reiterated Ankara’s position that regional problems should be solved by countries in the region.

“If lasting stability is desired in the region, everyone must set aside short-term calculations,” Erdoğan said.