EU’s Kaja Kallas stresses Türkiye’s strategic role in region

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Türkiye continues to be a fundamental partner for the bloc and an important regional player.

Speaking at a press conference in the Greek Cypriot administration alongside Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos, Kallas said the EU maintains constructive engagement with Türkiye in areas of shared interest, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

"We have positive engagement with Türkiye in areas of common interest. Türkiye remains a key partner for the European Union and a significant regional actor," she said.

However, she noted that Türkiye's EU accession process has been "frozen" since 2018 due to concerns over democratic standards and judicial independence.

Kallas also highlighted the Cyprus issue as a major factor in Türkiye-EU relations, stressing that the EU fully supports UN-led efforts toward a settlement.

"Of course, neither Türkiye nor the EU will govern the island of Cyprus in the future," she said. "The Greek and Turkish Cypriots must live together and find solutions to common challenges. Both communities need a sustainable solution.”

When asked whether Türkiye could be part of Europe's defense architecture, Kallas noted increasing defense spending and industrial development among EU members.

She added that when European defense production is insufficient, external procurement may be necessary, pointing to the European Security Action Programme (SAFE) as an existing mechanism balancing defense readiness and support for Ukraine.

Photo by Dursun Aydemir