EU reaffirms willingness to build cooperative ties with Türkiye

The European Union reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a “cooperative, gradual, and proportional relationship” with Türkiye in areas of mutual interest, following a year-end meeting in Brussels.

The General Affairs Council, composed of EU ministers responsible for European affairs, discussed enlargement, including Türkiye’s status. The meeting’s conclusions emphasized the importance of a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean as a strategic priority, calling for a cooperative relationship with Türkiye.

The Council welcomed recent steps to enhance economic ties and diplomatic dialogue on foreign and regional issues. It reiterated a commitment to gradually develop relations with Türkiye in a reversible manner.

However, the statement noted that EU accession talks with Türkiye had “effectively come to a standstill,” with no new chapters being opened or closed.

Improvement in Türkiye-Greece relations

The Council praised recent improvements in Türkiye-Greece relations, particularly the de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, and stressed the importance of continuing these positive developments.

Meanwhile, the EU underscored the need for Türkiye’s constructive engagement in resuming Cyprus peace talks.

The statement expressed full support for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue under U.N. leadership and urged Türkiye to contribute actively to a peaceful resolution.

Türkiye’s efforts in hosting world’s largest refugee population

The EU criticized Türkiye on matters related to democracy and the rule of law, citing concerns over freedom of expression, judicial independence, and pressure on civil society.

It also noted Türkiye’s “low level” of alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy and called for further alignment to strengthen ties.

The Council acknowledged Türkiye’s efforts in hosting one of the world’s largest refugee populations and highlighted the ongoing importance of the 2016 EU-Türkiye migration agreement.

Additionally, it praised Türkiye for measures to prevent circumvention of EU sanctions on Russia and for its role in the Black Sea Grain Initiative and prisoner exchanges amid the Russia-Ukraine war.