EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, emphasized that it is now time to look at relations with Turkey differently, as stronger partnerships between the EU and Turkey would be beneficial for all.
“There are more things that connect the EU and Turkey than those that divide us, and we really need to work on that,” she said, highlighting that “the economies are very interdependent.”
Kos stated that she looks forward to her first official visit to Turkey and explained that she has had intensive contacts with her Turkish counterparts since the first day of her mandate, particularly with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
She noted that her visit aligns with the approach of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to open a new perspective in relations.
“We are truly living in challenging times. The world around us is changing. We are seeing the return of imperial behavior, while China, Russia, and the United States are aggressively building their spheres of influence,” Kos said.
In the face of these geopolitical challenges, Kos called for stronger cooperation, pointing out: “Our economies are highly interdependent. Whatever happens in the field of migration on one side impacts the other.”
Kos expressed hope that a peace agreement in Ukraine will be signed soon to “change realities in Europe and especially in the Black Sea, where I already see Turkey as a very important partner.”
