Kaja Kallas: Türkiye remains a key partner of the European Union

Kaja Kallas says Türkiye's ties with the European Union are vital for the bloc, despite ongoing membership talks.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas stated that Türkiye remains a key partner for the European Union during the launch of the bloc’s 2025 Enlargement Package in Brussels.

Kallas says enlargement is not only a political priority but a geopolitical need, especially with the war in Ukraine continuing to reshape Europe’s security landscape.

She emphasized that the EU and Türkiye are engaged on multiple issues of common interest, from trade and energy to regional stability.

But she also noted that the decline of democratic standards, judicial independence, and fundamental rights has effectively frozen Türkiye’s accession process since 2018.

Kallas added that strengthening the rule of law, fighting corruption, and supporting independent media are essential for both national and European security. She ruled out that any shortcuts to membership are not an option.

The EU Foreign Policy Chief said Türkiye remains a strategic partner, with 2030 set as a realistic timeframe for potential new EU members.

Turkish officials stress that the EU’s enlargement policy should include Türkiye, citing its long-standing candidacy and vital role in regional stability, migration, and defence.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says the country's goal of full EU membership remains, while calling for the removal of what he calls “political blockages” in the accession process.

Meanwhile Türkiye has rejected the European Commission’s latest report on the country’s progress toward European Union membership as “biased,”

Ankara claims the 2025 report contains unfounded allegations and uses language inconsistent with efforts to build a positive Türkiye-EU agenda.

At the same time, Türkiye emphasised its continued commitment to EU membership and regional stability.
 

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