Fuat Oktay, head of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, met representatives of Turkish civic society organizations in Germany’s Berlin on Monday. Oktay, accompanied by the members of the committee, underlined in remarks to journalists that the European Union should reach out to Türkiye and abandon its "strategic blindness.”

Türkiye has sought accession to the 27-nation bloc for decades, only to see its bid stalled time after time for a wide variety of reasons. For every stage of progress in the membership process, Ankara faced a major obstacle, often the result of antagonism by some members of the bloc toward Türkiye.

Oktay said Europe’s multicultural structure was deteriorating and the EU was on its way to becoming an inward-looking club. "We therefore say that you need to overcome this strategic blindness. Including Türkiye in the EU would benefit you more than it would benefit Türkiye,” he said. Emphasizing that Türkiye’s accession to the EU would give the bloc a strategic vision, Oktay said: "Establishing a partnership with Türkiye as a country that contributes rather than being a burden would serve the interests of both sides.”

Noting that the EU’s cumbersome structure was becoming increasingly apparent, Oktay said: "We clearly see that the EU is unable to make political decisions, is increasingly lagging behind developments and is suffering from strategic blindness. We also see setbacks in Europe, particularly in terms of democratic progress and democratization.”

Oktay stressed that the EU had become confined by the foreign policy positions of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration. "Our position on this is very clear. There can be no approach more damaging to the EU than confining itself to the foreign policies of these two countries,” he said.

The said countries are overtly antagonistic to Türkiye’s role in the EU, whether through membership or cooperation, as both see Türkiye as a rival in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish-Greek relations have been lukewarm for decades and though Ankara and Athens sought rapprochement in recent years, tensions remain, especially on maritime borders and rights.

Oktay said Türkiye was not only a member of NATO’s southern flank but also a country that contributes significantly to ensuring security on the eastern flank. Pointing out that the EU and other European countries were making serious efforts to establish their own security architecture, Oktay said: "We say that NATO already provides an umbrella. These efforts should continue under the NATO umbrella. You can build additional capacity to establish your own architecture, but the main structure should remain within the NATO framework.”

Underlining that the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, which focuses on the bloc’s defense industry, was one of these mechanisms, Oktay said: "You want Türkiye to contribute to Europe’s security within the NATO framework on the one hand. We say that is fine. But when the EU tells Türkiye that it cannot participate in these areas, while EU member states alone are allowed to produce and sell defense equipment, that is a double standard. Or if you continue to impose limits, standards and restrictions in certain areas, that is also a double standard. Therefore, as Türkiye, we say it is time to act together.”

He stressed that the time had come for the EU and Türkiye to cooperate not only on security but also across multiple areas, including the economy, social affairs and politics, rather than limiting their relationship to a single dimension.

Addressing the draft Industrial Accelerator Act prepared by the EU, particularly its proposed "Made in EU” requirement and the disadvantages this could create for all parties, Oktay said: "We will call for an end to this narrow-minded approach. We are already making this demand.”

Noting that Europe had now become a country that was itself suffering from an illness and seeking a cure, Oktay said: "Therefore, we will continue on our own path, guided by what we know best, but in line with the interests of our citizens and Türkiye. If this brings us together on the path toward full EU membership, both sides will benefit.”

Oktay also noted that his meetings in Germany would provide an opportunity to discuss visa issues, the modernization of the customs union and counterterrorism.