Erdoğan: Türkiye need not choose between EU, SCO

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Türkiye does not need to choose between the European Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) "as some claim."

"While strengthening our relations with the East, we will seek ways to advance our deep-rooted cooperation with the West," Erdoğan said at a military school graduation ceremony in Istanbul on Aug. 31.

Türkiye, which has long been in a stalled membership negotiation process with the EU, also holds the status of a dialogue partner with the SCO.

“Türkiye can become a strong, prosperous, respected and effective country if it develops its relations with the East and the West simultaneously. Any other path will harm Türkiye, not benefit it, and take it out of the equation,” Erdoğan said.

“Therefore, we do not have to choose between the EU and the SCO, as some people claim. On the contrary, we have to develop our relations on a win-win basis.”

His remarks came in response to criticism from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, who had accused the government of prioritizing the SCO over the EU.

“The first election will be a referendum in a way,” Özel said at an event in the western city of Balıkesir on Aug. 29.

“A Türkiye where the rule of law brings development as part of a rich and prosperous Europe or a Türkiye with strong leaders and poor people as in the SCO?”

Türkiye's EU accession process, which has been largely stalled since 2016, was recently thrust back into the spotlight.

Erdoğan made the resumption of membership talks a prerequisite for ratifying Sweden’s NATO membership bid.

Ankara's formal negotiations to join the 27-member bloc began in 2005 but have been suspended due to the country’s failure to meet the required membership criteria.

Ankara has long argued that the stalemate is a political decision by Brussels and urges the bloc to adopt a more constructive approach.

The president's remarks followed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s participation in a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels, marking the first time in five years that Türkiye's top diplomat attended such a gathering.

Fidan reiterated the importance of revitalizing ties and enhancing dialogue after the informal talks on Aug. 29.

Both Fidan and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed satisfaction with the discussions and voiced hope for the continuation of high-level dialogue.

“We believe that revitalizing Türkiye-EU relations is in everyone’s interest,” Fidan said, calling on the bloc to pursue a positive policy in this direction as well.