EU seeks to 'reenergize' relations with Türkiye, says commissioner

LONDON

The EU commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement expressed optimism on Monday for advancing EU-Türkiye relations, stating a desire to "reenergize" bilateral ties with Türkiye.

Speaking in Budapest at the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), Oliver Varhelyi highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen connections with Ankara.

"We are actively engaged with Ankara to re-energize our bilateral relations," Varhelyi said, noting the positive outcome of recent discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Gymnich meeting in August.

He expressed hope for further high-level dialogues, the gradual re-engagement of the European Investment Bank, and the revival of discussions about modernizing the EU-Türkiye Customs Union.

The invitation for Türkiye to attend the Gymnich meetings marked a return after a five-year break. Varhelyi expressed confidence that further developments would soon become a reality.

Türkiye's EU membership negotiations began in 2005 but reached an impasse in 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and opposition from some EU member states.

During his speech, Varhelyi emphasized the EU's commitment to enlargement as a "top priority," asserting that it is essential for peace, prosperity, and security in Europe.

"It's no longer the question whether we will have enlargement. The question is when we will have enlargement," Varhelyi remarked, noting an increase in candidate countries from five to nine since the commission's mandate in 2019.

The current EU candidate countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Kosovo, which applied for EU membership in December 2022 and is a potential candidate, is not recognized by five EU members.