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EU lawmaker rebukes von der Leyen over Türkiye influence comments
European Union flags flutter outside the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, 19 March, 2026.
Reuters
A senior European Parliament figure has criticised remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggesting Turkish influence could threaten Europe.
In a Tuesday social media post, Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Türkiye, described the remarks as “geopolitically flawed.”
The assertion, he added, was “totally inconsistent with recurrent signals for stronger [EU–Türkiye] cooperation on security and defence.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the comments on Sunday at an event in Hamburg organised by Germany’s Die Zeit newspaper.
Speaking at the event, von der Leyen declared that the European Union “must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China.”
The remarks raised eyebrows in European policymaking circles, especially given Türkiye’s status as both a long-standing NATO member and an EU candidate country.
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Complex relations
In recent years, Brussels and Ankara have maintained a complex relationship.
While they have cooperated on a range of shared challenges, including cross-border migration and trade, they remain at odds over several political and regional issues.
Yet despite these differences, Türkiye is widely viewed as a key partner by the 27-nation European bloc, particularly in managing migration flows and safeguarding NATO’s south-eastern flank.
Turkish officials, meanwhile, have yet to issue a formal response to von der Leyen’s remarks.
In an apparent effort to defuse tensions, an EU spokeswoman later clarified that von der Leyen’s reference to Türkiye was not intended as a direct comparison with either Russia or China.
Speaking to Bloomberg late on Tuesday, she said the comment reflected a recognition of Türkiye’s size and geopolitical standing in the region.
The spokeswoman stressed that Türkiye remains a key partner of the EU - politically and economically - and an “important” member of the NATO alliance.
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