President: EU membership remains Türkiye’s strategic goal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the prospect of joining the EU remains a strategic goal for his country.

He expressed this position at a press conference following talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is currently in Ankara, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

"EU membership remains a strategic goal for Türkiye. Clearly, our accession to the EU would be a significant contribution both for the EU and for our country. Recent developments have further strengthened Türkiye's position as a key state. The main focus of our current discussions has been on common steps that could be taken to revive the Türkiye-EU relations. We expect the EU to present a new vision that will enhance Türkiye's membership prospects," President Erdogan said.

EU membership remains a top priority for Türkiye, and Ankara is ready to engage in constructive dialogue with the EU to achieve this goal. While Türkiye maintains the right to choose which international blocs to join, it must adhere to the values of the EU community, as it is still a candidate country for EU accession. Türkiye’s interest in joining the BRICS was confirmed by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who noted that the country lacks sufficient information about the bloc's institutional development.   

By Naila Huseynova