Türkiye key to rebuilding Europe’s security architecture, says German envoy
German Ambassador to Ankara Sibylle Katharina Sorg shaking hands with President Erdogan in Ankara, Türkiye on 29 August, 2024. (Photo via Turkish Presidency)
Germany’s ambassador to Türkiye has emphasized Türkiye’s crucial role in European security and peacemaking efforts in Ukraine, stating that Ankara must have a place at the table in discussions about a new security framework for the continent.
In an exclusive interview with Cumhuriyet Newspaper, German Ambassador Sibylle Katharina Sorg said, “Türkiye has long been working to achieve peace in Ukraine and plays a decisive role in terms of European security. When it comes to security issues in Europe, it’s important that all parties’ voices are heard. This includes Türkiye, and Türkiye needs to have a place at the table.”
“Europe’s security architecture has been shattered since Russia’s attack on Ukraine. This can only be rebuilt together,” Sorg added.
Reducing dependence on US
When asked how the European Union could build a security architecture independent from the United States, Sorg pointed to significant investments being made in defense.
“We have significantly increased our investments in security and will continue to invest decisively in Germany’s and Europe’s defense capabilities, becoming less dependent on the U.S. in the long term,” she said.
The ambassador noted that European Commission President von der Leyen recently presented proposals for substantially strengthening defense capabilities, including plans to mobilize €800 billion. EU heads of state and government, including the German chancellor, clearly expressed the need for greater efforts to strengthen EU defense during an extraordinary summit last Thursday.
“Chancellor Scholz declared a ‘turning point’ immediately after the start of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and allocated a special fund of €100 billion for the army,” she explained.
Sorg agreed with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s assessment that Europe’s security architecture has been fragmented since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Türkiye is a key partner for us in security, not only at the bilateral level but also in terms of our close cooperation in NATO and the OSCE,” she said.
The ambassador highlighted Foreign Minister Fidan’s participation in the Ukraine meeting in London on March 3 and President Erdogan’s video conference with EU representatives following the EU Special Summit as important signals of Türkiye’s involvement.
Syria concerns and dialogues
On Türkiye’s security concerns in Syria, Sorg stressed that Syria should not pose a threat to other countries, including Türkiye. She referenced German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s repeated emphasis on this point during her December visit to Ankara.
“She warned that intervention by third countries could jeopardize Syria’s stability. All foreign actors need to play a constructive role at this fragile stage in Syria to avoid further endangering stability,” Sorg said.
When asked about Germany’s contacts with Syrian PKK, the ambassador confirmed: “We discuss this issue with all our dialogue partners in Syria.”
“We agree with our Turkish partners that the country’s territorial integrity and minorities must be protected. We also share the goal with Türkiye of integrating all forces, including Kurdish forces, into the new Syria,” she added.
German political landscape
Addressing Germany’s recent elections and the rise of far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Sorg explained that while AfD and the Left Party significantly increased their votes, they would not play a role in coalition talks.
“Currently, the conservative CDU and social democratic SPD are negotiating to form a government under Merz’s chancellorship. It is expected to take several more weeks to form the government,” she said, adding that Germany was previously governed by such a “grand coalition” between 2005-2009 and 2013-2021.
“Therefore, continuity in Germany’s foreign policy is largely expected to be maintained,” Sorg noted.
Visa-free travel goal between Türkiye, Germany
On the issue of visa difficulties faced by Turkish citizens, the ambassador was direct: “I think people traveling from Türkiye to Germany should no longer need a visa. This should be the goal.”
Sorg emphasized that visa liberalization is the only way to achieve this. “The process is not stuck with either the German government or the EU. Within the EU, we have agreed on clear criteria that must be met for visa liberalization. However, Türkiye has not yet met six of these criteria. This will be the key to the solution.”
In the meantime, she said, Germany continues to optimize its visa processes to better respond to high demand, though it will remain challenging to quickly respond to all travel requests given the high number of applications.
Regarding foreign interference in German elections, including support for AfD from figures like Elon Musk, Sorg said: “Democracies must tolerate critical views. However, attempts to interfere in elections from abroad are absolutely unacceptable.”
“Musk’s statements during the election campaign are also unacceptable. However, they cannot be compared to Russia’s covert interventions, as Russia’s aim is to directly destabilize our society,” she concluded.
