EU Finds Strategic Partner To Help Ukraine After War

This country occupies a crucial position in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

As negotiations for peace in Ukraine gain momentum, Turkey's potential role in the post-war order - especially as a peacemaker and regional mediator in the Black Sea region - makes it a critical partner for the EU. As Politico writes, Brussels is now taking the first steps in its relationship with Ankara.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who will visit Turkey on Friday in an attempt to mend relations, said: "Peace in Ukraine will change the realities in Europe, especially in the Black Sea region. Turkey will become a very important partner for us. Preparing for peace and stability in Europe means preparing a lasting partnership with Turkey."

What Turkey is important

The country has the second largest armed forces in NATO and occupies a crucial strategic position in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Ankara's control of the Bosphorus gives it enormous influence over regional security, and it played a key role in the July 2022 Black Sea Agreement, which provided safe passage for ships carrying Ukrainian grain.

Turkey has also said it is ready to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if an agreement with Russia is reached, and that it will take a leading role in Black Sea security.

At the same time, relations between the EU and Turkey have deteriorated in recent years, helped by the government's transition to autocracy and repression of the opposition. Although Turkey is officially a candidate for EU membership, negotiations have been frozen since 2018.

But the changing geopolitical and trade relations initiated by US President Donald Trump could bring Europe and Turkey closer again.

"The world is changing and history is accelerating. Turkey-EU relations also need to adapt... Turkey's strategic goal remains to join the European Union and this should be the guiding light in our relations," Turkish Ambassador to the EU Yaprak Balkan told POLITICO.

Renewing EU membership talks is not yet in the EU's plans. However, Kos said the EU "needs to take a fresh look at relations" with the country:

"My visit to Ankara ... is dedicated to rebuilding trust and exploring how we can improve our economic relations for both sides," she said.

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