Ankara considers full membership as its strategic goal in the European Union, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis in Ankara, the Anatolian Agency for BTA reported.
Turkey applied for EU membership in 1987 and has been a candidate country since 1999. Membership negotiations began in 2005 but were blocked after 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and opposition from several member states.
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"Full EU membership is our strategic goal. It is in the common interest for the EU's approach to Turkey to be from a similar perspective," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis in Ankara.
Focusing on global and regional issues, the Turkish leader said that Israel's mass killings in the Gaza Strip threaten not only regional stability, but also global security.
Turkey's president stressed that lasting peace in Palestine is only possible through a two-state solution. Erdogan called on the international community to make all necessary efforts to solve this problem. The Turkish head of state also touched on the topic of the Russian-Ukrainian war. He pointed out that the end of the conflict in Ukraine and a fair settlement for all parties is possible through diplomatic means. Erdogan said that Ankara believes that initiatives excluding Russia will not bring results.
Alar Karis, in turn, noted that Tallinn attaches great importance to Turkey's contribution within NATO to regional security.
Erdogan said he and Karis reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening relations between Turkey and Estonia during their talks, discussing joint steps to be taken in that direction. He highlighted the potential for the two countries to continue cooperation in all areas, saying: “We can increase our trade volume, which reached $429 million in 2023, and even more mutual investment.“
Erdogan said the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, established last year, would be held soon in Turkey, setting out a new road map for economic and trade relations. As NATO allies, Erdogan said, the two countries should also strengthen existing cooperation in the defense industry.
"We consider the diversification of our relationship from science and technology to education, culture and tourism as significant investments,”, he said. Erdoğan also highlighted Estonia's global importance in digital transformation, digital applications and cyber defense, emphasizing discussions on sharing experiences in these areas. "
I sincerely believe that our close bilateral relations and our solidarity within NATO will continue to strengthen on solid foundations,” said the Turkish president.