Estonia’s president reaffirms support for Türkiye’s EU membership

On Thursday, Estonian President Alar Karis reaffirmed his country’s steadfast support for Türkiye’s EU membership bid, emphasizing the importance of continued dialogue between Ankara and Brussels.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Karis lauded Türkiye as a vital strategic partner for the security of the EU neighborhood.

The dialogue between Türkiye and the EU is precious. We know that Türkiye is strategically important for the security of the EU neighborhood.

Additionally, the EU should continue and deepen its dialogue with Türkiye. We also know that Türkiye hosts the largest refugee population in the world. Türkiye is a crucial partner for the European Union regarding migration.

Estonian President Alar Karis

Türkiye’s importance in NATO

Reflecting on the historical roots of bilateral relations, Karis noted that Estonia established its first consulate in Istanbul in 1929 and acknowledged Türkiye’s supportive stance during the Soviet occupation of Estonia.

Karis highlighted the strong NATO alliance between Estonia and Türkiye, emphasizing their joint efforts in transatlantic security initiatives.

Türkiye’s contribution to the security of our region and within NATO is of great importance to us

Estonian President Alar Karis

Future defense collaboration between Türkiye and Estonia

Regarding recent cooperative efforts, Karis mentioned Estonia’s deployment of search and rescue teams following the devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye on February 6, 2023, which resulted in over 53,500 casualties. This, he noted, underscored the ongoing bilateral cooperation.

Karis also highlighted Türkiye’s contributions to reconstruction efforts in Africa and the Middle East, continuing:

We are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of friendship and diplomatic relations between our two countries. Through this opportunity, we can set a vision for the future. Our cooperation in the defense sector, and the joint efforts in the defense industry, will enable Türkiye to supply armored vehicles to Estonian defense forces.

When we look at our trade volume, it is steadily increasing, reaching 709 million euros. This has doubled compared to 2020, and we expect it to continue growing bilaterally.

Estonian President Alar Karis

Estonia supports Palestine’s UN membership

Speaking on Israel’s attacks in Gaza, Karis underscored the increasing need for humanitarian aid in the region.

Karis noted that Estonia supports Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and has reiterated its support for granting more rights to Palestine in the U.N. General Assembly.

We continue to support the UN organization that works to help Palestinian refugees. The conflict here is continuing on an unprecedented scale, and especially in the Gaza Strip, those most in need of international humanitarian aid must receive it as soon as possible.

Estonian President Alar Karis

After the press conference, Erdogan hosted a state dinner in Karis’ honor, attended by officials from both countries.

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Estonia, Karis began a three-day official visit to Türkiye on Wednesday at Erdogan’s invitation.