President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye's full membership in the European Union is the only solution to rescue the bloc from the "deadlock" it has fallen into, as he warned against the rise of the far-right in Western democracies, saying that such radical movements have become mainstream in European countries.
Speaking at a news conference following a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said far-right movements have become the decisive force in European politics.
"We had been drawing attention to the rise of the anti-immigrant and Islamophobic far-right movement in the West. In many recent elections, unfortunately, our concerns have been validated," Erdoğan said.
The far-right and anti-immigrant AfD surged to become Germany's second-largest political force, stoking fear and alarm among Muslims and Turks alike about their safety and future in the European Union’s most populous country.
Germany's mainstream conservatives won the country's national election and the AfD will not be part of the next government but it still has the power to determine the discourse and veto legislation at parliament. The results were seen as a rebuke for mainstream parties as the AfD notched its best results ever – and alarmingly, the strongest for a far-right party since World War II.
He continued by saying that the events in Syria and Ukraine confirm Europe's need for Türkiye.
"Only Türkiye can rescue the European Union from the deadlock it has fallen into. Türkiye's full membership in the union can save it — it is the lifeblood it needs," the president said, adding that the sooner the EU faces this reality, the better off it will be.
Erdoğan also said Ankara was eager to advance its EU accession process.
"With the necessary determination, we can achieve results quickly. Together, we will see where the process leads," he said.
Erdoğan's comments came after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye would consider other alternatives if accession to the European Union fails, amid Ankara’s pursuit of a BRICS membership.
Türkiye has been a candidate for EU membership for over two decades, but talks stalled in 2016 over what Ankara says is the bloc’s “insistence on politicizing the issue.”
Last year, Türkiye took formal steps toward full membership in the BRICS group of emerging economies, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Ankara sees the BRICS group as an opportunity to further economic cooperation with member states rather than an alternative to its Western ties and NATO membership; Erdoğan has ruled out any possibility that its potential membership would affect Türkiye’s responsibilities to NATO.
Erdoğan said Ankara welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that he was pleased to host Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He noted that a "new equation" was taking shape.
"We view Trump's willingness to end the war through negotiations positively in principle," he said but added that the path to a just and lasting peace can only be opened through an equation where all relevant parties are represented.
He pointed out that Russia has been excluded from the negotiation tables established so far, with the exception of the Istanbul process, which he said was the reason why the desired outcome has not been achieved.
"We are ready to provide all possible support for a lasting peace. Our region has had its fill of bloodshed, tears, and conflict. We want this war, which has imposed heavy costs on every country, to come to an end," Erdoğan said, adding that Ankara would do everything for a permanent and just peace.
He also noted that throughout this process, Türkiye would continue to stand by its brothers, without compromising on issues, such as ensuring that Palestinians can live peacefully on their land, safeguarding Lebanon's security, and protecting Syria's territorial integrity.
