Presidents of the European Council and Commission, António Costa and Ursula von de Leyen, plan to discuss EU-Turkey relations and efforts to resolve the Cyprus dispute in their meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
According to a European Council press release, the NATO summit will focus on defence investment, industrial production, support for Ukraine and broader regional issues. However, the joint meeting of Costa and von der Leyen with Erdoğan on Wednesday will focus on EU-Turkey relations and Cyprus.
“The current geopolitical context calls for strengthened dialogue and cooperation, based on shared interests and pragmatic steps,” said the press release.
It added that the EU Presidents will discuss implementation of a cooperation roadmap as set out in a Joint Communication on the state of play of EU-Turkey political, economic and trade relations in November 2023.
“They will also discuss the regional situation, in particular the ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the United Nations Secretary-General to resolve the Cyprus dispute,” according to the press release.
Resolving Cyprus
There is currently an effort underway to align multiple ‘stars’ that could shine a light on the path towards formal talks and, ultimately, a comprehensive settlement.
EU-Turkey relations are considered a key element of the effort to relaunch peace negotiations on Cyprus. Reliable sources close to the effort have told Politis that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has been in continuous contact with Council President Costa on the issue.
Guterres has yet to convene a new enlarged conference on Cyprus with the two Cypriot leaders and three guarantor powers, though reports suggest it may take place end of July or early August. While it is not yet known whether the EU will also take a seat at the table, the bloc’s importance and potential role in setting up the pieces for a resumption of negotiations is becoming increasingly clear to see.
Turkey wants to see progress on a number of issues in relations with the EU – specifically on upgrading the EU-Turkey customs union, visa liberalisation and closer defence industry cooperation through participation in the EU’s SAFE mechanism. It remains to be seen what Costa and von der Leyen can bring to the meeting with Erdoğan, and what steps the Turkish President is willing to take in response.
At the same time, another element reportedly being considered is the notion of NATO playing a role in any future settlement, as a means to address the thorny issue of security and guarantees. It is not clear whether this aspect will be raised by any of the political actors in Ankara this week.
Strategic partners
The European Council notes that the EU and Turkey are strategic partners. Their relationship is anchored in the 1963 Association Agreement, also known as the Ankara agreement, which provides the framework for closer political ties and economic integration.
The EU is Turkey’s top trading partner while Turkey is the EU's 7th biggest trade partner. In 2022, the total trade between them amounted to €198.1 billion, representing 3.6% of the EU's total trade with the world.
