The European Commission said Tuesday it does not oversee Türkiye’s influence in neighboring regions, clarifying remarks by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Europe should not be shaped by Russia, Türkiye or China.
Speaking at a midday briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho responded to Anadolu Agency (AA) question regarding how von der Leyen's comments should be interpreted.
"What was said here is, of course, that Türkiye, precisely as a candidate country, also has an additional responsibility in the neighborhood, and we do not oversee the influence that it has in the neighborhood," she said.
"And in this case, the reference was to the Western Balkans in line with the EU values. That was the context in which the president referred to Türkiye," Pinho added, underlining that the expectation is for Türkiye to act consistently with EU values in its regional engagement.
Speaking at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the newspaper Die Zeit in Hamburg on Monday, von der Leyen emphasized her support for EU enlargement and said: "We must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China."
