Ankara Does Not Expect Anything from the European Union, Says Turkish President

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that his country does not have any expectations from the European Union (EU).

Turkey’s Association Agreement and Membership Application

In 1963, Turkey signed an association agreement with the European Union, which was known as the European Economic Community at the time. In 1987, Turkey applied for membership. However, the accession negotiations only started in 2005 and have faced numerous suspensions due to disagreements. Currently, 16 out of the 35 negotiation chapters remain open. Before attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Erdogan mentioned that the paths of Turkey and the European Union might diverge if necessary.

Sweden’s NATO Accession and Turkey’s European Union Membership

Erdogan had previously stated that Sweden’s accession to NATO would be possible after Turkey joined the European Union. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg later confirmed that Erdogan had agreed to promptly send the necessary documents to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership application to the Turkish Parliament. In exchange for ratifying the request, Sweden, as an EU member, promised to assist in expediting Turkey’s accession process to the European Union. However, Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov expressed the view that Turkey should not be included in Europe, urging caution in Ankara’s expectations.