Turkish Foreign Minister to Attend EU Meeting in Brussels, Seeking Improved Relations with Greece and Europe

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to attend a European Union ministers’ meeting in Brussels next week, with hopes of advancing Turkey’s relationship with the bloc.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday that Fidan’s participation aims to address longstanding issues and improve ties with the EU.

Turkey’s EU accession bid has faced significant obstacles in recent years, largely due to concerns over its human rights record and disputes over regional policies, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean and regarding Cyprus. Relations with the EU were particularly strained in 2019 during heightened tensions with Greece, leading to threats of sanctions and a suspension of certain dialogue channels. Since 2021, however, relations have seen some improvement with the resumption of high-level talks.

Spokesperson Oncu Keceli highlighted that Fidan’s invitation to the meeting on August 29 is a positive step towards overcoming the “deadlock” from 2019. Keceli emphasised that Turkey views the invitation as an opportunity for renewed dialogue and stressed the importance of continuous and systematic cooperation with the EU.

Turkey expects concrete progress on several fronts, including its EU accession, visa liberalisation, modernisation of the customs union, and enhanced discussions on economic, political, transportation, and energy issues. Turkey also maintains strong ties with Hungary, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, and is hopeful that Budapest’s leadership will facilitate progress on these key issues.