Thewesternbalkans.
Part one
According to the press information of the European Union External Action Service and the Anadolu Agency, EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas has visited Ankara on 24 of January 2025. She has assessed that Türkiye is a partner of strategic importance, candidate for EU membership as well as an important actor in cooperation, especially on regional issues, and different areas such as trade and energy. Also Kaya Kallas commented the priorities of the EU in region of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Just a day before the visit to Ankara, in an interview to Nazli Yuzbasioglu, a journalist from Anadolu Agency, Kallas said the EU is interested in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean. The EU share the interest that Syria develops in the right direction, and there’s the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
On the European defence system, Kallas elaborated that EU shouldn’t duplicate what NATO already does. In the EU there are 27 armies, and they should all contribute to have this collective defence. Every country has one set of defence planners and one defence budget. “It is not that the EU needs a European army, but needs these 27 members to work together. When it comes to NATO and the European Union, there are 23 members that are in common with NATO, so that makes EU and NATO natural partners as well. But of course, there are more allies in NATO that EU needs to work with, and Türkiye is one of them” Kallas said.
Concerning Syria, Kallas thinks it is very important that the international actors, as well as regional actors like the Arab countries and Türkiye that all of them share a common understanding. EU wants to see the inclusiveness of the government in Syria and no radicalization. EU is cautiously optimistic and willing to discuss the relief of sanctions, but do it by a step-by-step approach.
It is in the interest of everybody that there is no return of ISIS and the terrorism is diminished. Because everybody, Türkiye as well as European Union, have risks in relation to terrorist organizations flourishing in the neighbourhood.
On Ukraine, there is a need to put a huge pressure on Russia, because right now, Russia does not want peace. If Russia stops bombing Ukraine, the people, the civilian infrastructure there and withdraws its troops, then this war will end and the European Foreign affair chief see that Türkiye has a very important role in pressuring Russia to have peace on the ground.
On US new administration – the elections are always a very turbulent time and of course, if the administration is changing, then it brings also changes to policy. “The main issues that we need to discuss and cooperate on, of course, are security and defence, but also economic issues. The US and European Union are bigest trading partners. Our economies are very much intertwined. And of course, on foreign policy issues, if the US is worried about China, then they should first be worried about Russia. Supporting Ukraine, so that Ukraine can win this war, I think it’s also very important” said Kallas.
To be continued!
