Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that European security is “impossible” without Turkey. He also emphasized the need to strengthen relations between Turkey and European nations.
According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Erdoğan made these remarks on Monday following a cabinet meeting in Ankara. He noted that recent debates have demonstrated Europe’s reliance on Turkey for security.
“For the past few weeks, heated discussions have shown that European security is not possible without Turkey,” Erdoğan said. He added that Europe is increasingly recognizing Turkey’s role not only in security but also in economy, diplomacy, trade, and social affairs.
“We see this as a positive step for the future of Turkey-EU relations. Turkey is ready to advance relations with European countries and the EU on the basis of mutual interests and respect,” he stated.
Regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Erdoğan mentioned that Turkey has been closely monitoring developments and maintaining its neutral stance. He expressed hope for a just peace without further bloodshed, acknowledging Russia’s partial positive response to a 30-day ceasefire proposal by the United States as a modest but valuable step toward peace.