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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the two sides said, covering Türkiye-EU relations, regional flashpoints and areas of potential cooperation at a moment of heightened instability across the broader Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
Von der Leyen described the exchange as highly productive and underscored Ankara's geopolitical weight, saying Türkiye is "a key partner in a turbulent region."
Erdogan told von der Leyen that Türkiye was actively working to preserve a ceasefire in the region and to secure lasting peace, and stressed that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened as soon as possible. The strait, a chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil passes, has been a focal point of tensions tied to the Iran crisis.
Erdogan also said the ongoing regional tensions had once again demonstrated the strategic importance of Türkiye-EU relations, a point von der Leyen echoed in her own remarks.
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Von der Leyen said the two sides share overlapping interests in keeping trade routes open, sustaining energy flows and maintaining stable supply chains, and confirmed that cooperation in these areas would continue. Türkiye occupies a critical transit role for both pipeline gas and overland freight connecting Europe to Asia and the Gulf.
Türkiye's contributions to de-escalation efforts in the context of the Iran crisis were also acknowledged, with the EU expressing appreciation for Ankara's diplomatic engagement.
The call also touched on the Cyprus question and broader Eastern Mediterranean tensions. The EU indicated it was prepared to support United Nations-led processes in the region, a reference to the long-stalled UN-brokered framework for reunification talks on the divided island.
Erdogan raised two longer-standing bilateral priorities: the need to update the Customs Union between Türkiye and the EU, an agreement dating to 1995 that Ankara has argued no longer reflects the scope of their economic relationship, and his view that Türkiye's inclusion in European security strategy initiatives would be beneficial.
Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue with a view to strengthening overall Türkiye-EU relations.
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