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Peace in Ukraine Could Redefine EU–Türkiye Relations, Official Says
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
As diplomatic efforts around a possible peace settlement in Ukraine intensify, the European Union is cautiously repositioning Türkiye as a potential peacekeeper and regional intermediary in the Black Sea, signaling a tentative reset in relations with Ankara.
As reported by Politico on February 6, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos is set to visit Türkiye on Friday.
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“Peace in Ukraine will change the realities in Europe, especially in the Black Sea region. Türkiye will be a very important partner for us. Preparing for peace and stability in Europe implies preparing a strong partnership with Türkiye,” Kos said in a written statement to Politico, ahead of the visit.
Accordimg to Politico, Türkiye’s strategic relevance is hard to overlook. It has NATO’s second-largest military, controls access to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus Strait, and played a central role in brokering the July 2022 Black Sea grain deal that allowed Ukrainian agricultural exports to resume.
At the same time, EU officials remain wary of Ankara’s domestic trajectory under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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Kos acknowledged those concerns directly, noting: “In the latest EU enlargement reports we have seen steps away from EU standards, especially on the rule of law and democracy.”
“I know Türkiye has a very long democratic tradition and also a strong civil society, and this is what we need to see strengthened to build trust between the EU and Türkiye,” she added
Türkiye’s ambassador to the EU, Yaprak Balkan, framed the moment as an opportunity to recalibrate relations.
“The world is changing and history is accelerating. Türkiye-EU relations also need to adapt,” she told Politico. “The way these relations can become stronger is by building on mutual interests. We hope that we can build upon this philosophy in a very concrete manner. Türkiye's strategic objective continues to be accession to the European Union and this should be the guiding light in our relations.”
Earlier, it was reported that Türkiye is considering returning the S-400 air defense systems it purchased from Russia nearly a decade ago—a step that could open the door to rejoining the US F-35 fighter jet program and help repair strained ties with Washington and NATO allies.
