Türkiye-EU can only make impact together: EU Envoy

Serkan Demirtaş- ANKARA

Recent drastic geopolitical changes in the world and the region stipulate increased and closer cooperation between Türkiye and the European Union that includes strategic and security matters, the EU’s envoy to Ankara has said, underlining the growing role of Ankara as a key regional player.

Thomas Ossowski, the EU’s ambassador to Ankara, in an exclusive interview with Hürriyet and Hürriyet Daily News, has explained Brussels’s views on ties with Türkiye as a candidate country and as a strategic partner.

“We are now in the process of reinforcing the relations between the European Union and Türkiye, and that involves also the dialogue on strategic issues, on political, on foreign affairs and security issues. And indeed, we see that geopolitically, Türkiye has become a very important player in the Mediterranean region but far beyond,” Ossowski told.

Türkiye is a player in Africa, Sahel, the Horn of Africa, in the Middle East, Syria as well as in South Caucasus and Central Asia, the ambassador said, also recalling the effective role Türkiye has been playing in the context of the Russian occupation of Ukraine.

“And when Zelensky came now to Ankara a few days ago, it was great to see that the Turkish leadership offered again the good services of Türkiye as opposed to the American initiative now with Ukraine at the table. And I believe that is an important initiative, but we will see how it will fit in now in the overall situation. But we should be, and we are grateful for the fact that Türkiye plays a very active part,” he stated.

The EU envoy has underscored that Ankara and Brussels share a lot of strategic objectives and “better and stronger cooperation is a necessity and is urgent.”

“Why? Because only together can we also make a stronger impact on the overall situation, not only with regard to Ukraine and Russia; but also with regard to north of Syria, Africa… Certainly, the EU and Türkiye should be good partners, and on the basis of joined shared strategic interests also to work more closely together here,” he underlined.

  We want to do things together with Türkiye

Even though Türkiye’s accession process has been in a stand still since 2018, Ambassador Ossowski expressed Brussels’ intention to intensify exchanges with Ankara in the coming period, including in the fields of defense industry, trade and economy and etc.

“I think we are in this situation right now: We want to do things together again. For too long, the things were at a standstill between Türkiye and the EU. Now we want to do things together again. For that, we also have a roadmap,” he said, recalling the proposals of the European Commission in 2023.

He informed that Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek will be in Brussels for talks with his EU counterparts while a technical team from the EU will hold talks in Ankara for the removal of trade irritants.

Türkiye must live up to Copenhagen criteria

On a question about a recent wave of legal actions against the oppositional figures, mayors as well as journalists and business groups, Ambassador Ossowski recalled that Türkiye, as a candidate country should live up to Copenhagen political criteria.

“We are aware of the investigations which were launched. And we see the increase since the beginning of the year of arrest and charges brought against elected officials, political activists, civil society, and business representatives and journalists,” he cited.

Türkiye’s decision not to execute the rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is also an issue that Brussels is looking into, the ambassador said, stressing that Türkiye should act in line with its commitments. “We just believe that it is not a sustainable that rulings of the ECHR are not being executed in Türkiye,” said the envoy.

 Cooperation on Syrian refuges will continue

On the recent developments concerning Syria, the ambassador has recalled the visit by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Ankara to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in December 2024.

Erdoğan and von der Leyen agreed on many issues on Syria, including for the continuation of the support to the Syrian refugees and their voluntary and safe return to their home, Ossowski stressed.

“There are now new opportunities for the return of Syrian refugees to Syria. But, of course, we have to see and monitor the situation, how it evolves in Syria,” he stated. Describing Türkiye’s hosting millions of Syrians since 2011 as an “historic achievement,” the envoy said “This migration cooperation has been a big topic of our cooperation over the last 9-10 years. The EU has also invested a lot of financial resources, we’ve provided about 11 billion Euro of funds.”

“We still know that situation in Syria is very volatile. And, as much as we all wish that the Syrians can return voluntarily to their country and build up their lives again, the reconstruction is very important,” added the envoy.