Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed Türkiye-EU relations and rising Middle East tensions during a phone call on Tuesday.
The two leaders also discussed mounting regional tensions, as instability across the Middle East continues to threaten shipping, energy routes and global supply chains.
According to Turkish officials, Erdogan told von der Leyen that Ankara was working to preserve a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.
He also said that the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint, should be reopened as quickly as possible.
Accounting for roughly one-fifth of the global oil supply, the strait has remained a flashpoint for tensions since Israel and the U.S. launched a surprise attack on Iran in late February.
During Tuesday’s call, Erdogan also said that persistent regional tensions had once again demonstrated the strategic importance of Türkiye-EU relations.
Von der Leyen, for her part, agreed, noting that both sides wanted to keep shipping routes open to ensure energy flows and maintain global supply chains.
In subsequent remarks, von der Leyen described the exchange as “highly productive”, calling Türkiye “a key partner in a turbulent region”.
Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Türkiye occupies a critical transit position, particularly for gas pipelines and overland cargo routes.
Tuesday’s phone call also touched on the sensitive issue of Cyprus.
Brussels has recently signalled its readiness to support U.N.-led efforts aimed at reviving long-stalled talks between Athens and Ankara regarding the divided island.
In his conversation with von der Leyen, Erdogan also urged Brussels to broaden the scope of the Türkiye-EU Customs Union, which is currently limited to industrial goods and processed agricultural products.
Ankara has long called for the resumption of talks aimed at updating the terms of the customs union, although concrete steps in this regard have yet to be taken.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most s...
Georgia’s newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III is set to visit Istanbul, with the upcoming trip discussed during a meeting with M...
South Korea and the United States are scaling back their annual joint military exercises following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump to sub...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Russia said its air defences downed 180 drones over the Moscow region overnight, with 620 drones reportedly targeting the area, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
South Korea and the United States are scaling back their annual joint military exercises following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump to substantially reduce American participation.
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria after Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase raised concerns about the risk of a wider regional confrontation.
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned 50 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods for three days, saying Washington and Ottawa had reached a preliminary agreement.
A federal judge has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopian nationals living in the United States, removing one of the last major legal obstacles to a broader effort to roll back humanitarian immigration protections.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment