Erdogan Tries to Patch Up Relations With EU After Year of Finger-Pointing

Turkey and the European Union have had an ongoing spat since 2016 after Brussels expressed strong criticism of Ankara over mass arrests in the country, connected with the failed coup attempt. Despite Turkey's courting of the bloc with a view to entering it, negotiations have been halted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has decided to change his stance towards Europe after a year of strained relations, confessing it in front of journalists aboard a plane from Chad to Tunisia on Thursday.

"I always say this: We are obliged to lessen the number of foes and increase the number of friends. We have no problems with Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. To the contrary, those who are in the governments of these countries are my old friends," Erdogan stated.

Source: AP
Source: AP

Out of all the EU members, Turkey has the most strained relations with Austria and Germany: the first one has repeatedly urged the country to end its accession bid, while the other has been insisting on the review of the bloc's economic policies due to arrests of human rights activists in Turkey.

However, Erdogan has described Germany's, Netherlands' and Belgium's governments as "old friends," noting that their last contacts were "quite good," especially regarding the Jerusalem issue.

"We had problems, but our latest meetings have gone very well. I asked for their support on Jerusalem; we are all on the same page. I have called [German President Frank Walter] Steinmeier to thank him. [Dutch Prime Minister Mark] Rutte sent some signals to improve ties with us. These are satisfactory. We, of course, hope to have good ties with the EU and EU countries," Erdogan emphasized.    

"Well, they did me wrong. Otherwise, I used to have good meetings with Rutte; Belgium in the same way. No need to mention Germany. My contacts with both Steinmeier and [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel have always been very good," he said.    

The Turkey-EU ties unravelled in November 2016, when the European Parliament suspended Turkish accession talks, following a constitutional referendum greatly expanding Erdogan's powers in April 2017, which prompted the EU to vote to reopen the monitoring process against Turkey.

Erdogan's statements look especially controversial in the light of his October's remarks, claiming that Turkey didn't need EU membership anymore.

Sputnik News

Other News

Vietnamese community in Venezuela backs rescue team on humanitarian mission

Vietnamese community in Venezuela backs rescue team on humanitarian mission

All members of the Vietnamese rescue team in Venezuela have maintained strict discipline, a strong sense of responsibility and unwavering focus when carrying out search, rescue and disaster recovery tasks, with the determination to successfully fulfil the international humanitarian mission entrusted by the Party, State and military.

Key issues ex high agenda at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026

Key issues ex high agenda at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026

PSNews - Nearly six decades after its founding, ASEAN is entering a new phase of transformation. Geopolitical turbulence, intensifying competition among major powers, non-traditional security challenges, and rapid technological change are raising fundamental questions about the region’s future trajectory. In this context, the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 is more than a platform for regional countries to discuss current issues; it is designed to identify strategic pathways for ASEAN in the years ahead.

Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16

Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16

Under the new rules, social media platforms are required to implement age-verification systems and prevent users under 16 from creating accounts. The regulations apply to platforms with at least eight million users in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Cambodia ranked world's top country for natural environment in 2026

Cambodia ranked world's top country for natural environment in 2026

Cambodia currently manages 73 protected natural areas covering more than seven million hectares, equivalent to about 41% of the country’s total land area. These protected areas play a vital role in forest conservation, wildlife habitat protection and biodiversity preservation through stricter law enforcement and conservation measures.

ASEAN chief spotlights Vietnam’s role in shaping bloc’s future

ASEAN chief spotlights Vietnam’s role in shaping bloc’s future

Vietnam is expected to maintain active contributions across ASEAN’s three pillars - the political-security community, the economic community, and the socio-cultural community; while further enhancing regional connectivity through infrastructure projects and stronger economic linkages.

Vietnam supports UNESCO's people-centred approach, multilateral cooperation: official

Vietnam supports UNESCO's people-centred approach, multilateral cooperation: official

Van affirmed Vietnam’s support for the UNESCO80 reform roadmap, focusing on the organisation’s core mandate, priority areas, interdisciplinary approach, and the special status of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, and UNESCO representative offices, alongside efforts to diversify resources and strengthen global partnerships to enhance the organisation’s effectiveness.

Regional media highlight significant step in Vietnam’s leadership structure

Regional media highlight significant step in Vietnam’s leadership structure

Under General Secretary and President Lam’s leadership, Vietnam is expected to maintain a balanced foreign policy, strengthen its regional standing and accelerate economic development, thereby improving living standards and creating new opportunities for international investors, according to the India-based platform Devdiscourse.

Laos identifies 10 key tasks to build independent, self-reliant economy

Laos identifies 10 key tasks to build independent, self-reliant economy

Laos will step up agricultural production to ensure food security, meet domestic demand and expand exports; encourage the development of agro-processing industries, including those related to rubber, aquatic products, cassava and sugarcane, as well as fertiliser and animal feed production, in order to increase added value and create jobs in rural areas.