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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye remains committed to European Union membership and called on the bloc to demonstrate renewed political will, while also stressing Ankara’s readiness to contribute to European security and peace efforts in Ukraine.
“Our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) has clearly expressed that we want to join the EU and that we have a firm will in this direction. Now it is the EU’s turn,” Fidan told Germany’s Welt am Sonntag in an interview published Sunday.
“What matters for us is the revival of political will in Europe for Türkiye’s EU membership; once that happens, the rest will be resolved. The EU must take steps.”
Fidan was in Germany for official talks. Fidan also held a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
Asked about the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said both sides now appear more open to peace than in the past. “They have seen the scale of human suffering and destruction and recognized their own limits,” he said.
Fidan noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “ready to accept a ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement under certain conditions,” and that this has been conveyed to the Ukrainian side.
“We are engaged in some aspects of it,” he said. “This war is also costing Russia heavily.”
He emphasized that any agreement must include clear commitments that neither side will attack the other “for any reason.”
“If agreement can be reached on this, peace could be ensured in the region for 50, 60, or 70 years—perhaps even longer,” he said. “But a peace agreement does not mean abandoning one’s own security measures. NATO will continue preparing for different scenarios. Russia, too, is suffering economically and socially and would benefit from an agreement.”
Responding to French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that troops from France, the U.K., or Türkiye could be sent to Ukraine as a protection force, Fidan distinguished between NATO deployments and neutral observer missions.
“The most important element currently under discussion is the U.S. security guarantee to Ukraine, similar to Article 5,” he said. “Beyond this, there are elements such as the capacity of the Ukrainian army.”
Fidan said that while European countries assert that a sovereign state must decide on these matters, Russia views such limits as part of its own security guarantee.
He added that every country has a right and obligation to protect its national security, and this makes a peace deal essential not only to end the war but to ensure lasting European stability.
Asked whether Ankara views Russia as a threat, particularly amid accusations of hybrid attacks across Europe, Fidan said Türkiye has confronted Russia in conflicts such as Syria and Libya and shares many experiences with European countries.
“The difference is this: We never cut off dialogue with Russia,” he said. “Türkiye wants friendly relations with all its neighbors. We never want to be the side causing problems.”
Fidan said Türkiye and its European counterparts are discussing possible scenarios and a division of labor regarding security and defense.
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Fidan outlined three key elements Türkiye is following closely:
“First, the European security architecture. This structure is based on NATO institutions, and I believe European heads of state and government want to maintain it that way.
“Second, the defense industry. The Ukraine war exposed the weaknesses of this industry. We are talking about a very large budget to strengthen Europe’s defense industry over the next ten years. Türkiye is seeking to join these processes.
“Third, there are informal discussions about the future of the American commitment to Europe’s security.”
Asked whether the U.S. would defend Europe in a crisis, Fidan said officials avoid publicly speculating to prevent “self-fulfilling prophecies” but noted Washington is questioning its own foreign, security, and economic policies.
In light of this, he said countries such as the U.K., France, Germany, Türkiye, and Italy should help shape Europe’s security future.
“Europe must decide whether, in the new world order, we will establish our own center of gravity or allow other major powers—particularly in the areas of security, economy, and markets—to guide us. Because the U.S. will understandably have to confront global competition with China.”
Fidan said Türkiye prefers EU membership but emphasized that, regardless of the outcome, an honest and timely discussion is needed.
“The attitude toward Türkiye is subjective, while the accession process itself is objective,” he said. “You cannot assess what we have fulfilled without opening the chapters.”
He blamed the stalled negotiations on the “political and ideological attitudes” of some EU member states, rather than Türkiye’s compliance.
Fidan noted that Germany’s governing coalition now consists of a unified party in both the foreign ministry and the chancellery, which could improve coordination.
“Everyone I speak with in the international community is pleased with this,” he said. “Given the new security environment, Germany will have to take on more responsibility. Chancellor (Friedrich) Merz and Minister (Johann) Wadephul are acting with vision. They are recalibrating their relations with Türkiye and other countries.”
Fidan said Syria is gradually recovering from its economic collapse and destruction, and that nearly 500,000 Syrians have returned from Türkiye since the revolution.
“If the situation continues to improve over the next one or two years, this number will increase further,” he said. “Syria is their homeland, and economic opportunities will arise.”
He added that Türkiye, the United States, Germany, and other European countries are aligned in their desire to stabilize Syria.
But he warned that “the biggest risk to this process is Israel.”
Fidan said Ankara has urged Israel to communicate its security concerns through proper channels: “But if you respond to all these threats with bombardments, that sends a different message.”
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