Turkey observed its last weekend curfew this Sunday in line with the government’s decision to ease the restrictions following a decrease in the number of new coronavirus cases and a drastic intensification of the vaccination process.
Unlike the previous communiqués of the European Council in October 2020, December 2020, and March 2021, the June 2021 conclusion addressed all issues related to Turkey under the title “Turkey” instead of “Eastern Mediterranean.” This alone is a minor indication of the sustained normalization process in ties between Turkey and the EU as the conclusion welcomed the de-escalation in the eastern Mediterranean.
With only a few days before the European Union Council, where relations with Turkey will be on the agenda, it is necessary to take a step back and analyze the current situation and the future shape of Turkey-EU relations.
In his magnificent book titled “The Mediterranean,” French historian Fernand Braudel successfully explains the Mediterranean World by combining economic, psychological, social, political and diplomatic approaches and sophisticatedly concludes how unity is born out of diversity in the greater basin.
One of the most solid results of the meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and United States President Joe Biden was the agreement on Turkey’s mission to ensure the continuation of the secure operation of the international airport in Afghanistan’s capital following the complete withdrawal of NATO troops.
This column had described the intense diplomatic events in June as constituting a turning point for Turkish diplomacy after a long period of tension with prominent Western allies, including the United States, France and Greece.
Intense diplomacy has been observed before the NATO Summit where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will hold in-person meetings with the leaders of the prominent allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Not too long ago, former United States President Donald Trump had described NATO as “obsolete” and sitting French President Emmanuel Macron as “brain dead.” “NATO is back” read Western media headlines nowadays, citing the Biden impact on the alliance just days before the NATO leaders’ summit.
In less than a week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet United States President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels where the two leaders will find an opportunity to discuss their troubled bilateral relationship.
