Turkey’s relationship with Europe remains strategically important but politically strained, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presents the country as essential to European security while its European Union accession process remains effectively frozen. The contrast highlights the complicated position Turkey occupies between EU cooperation, NATO security commitments and domestic political controversy.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Erdoğan argued that Europe could not be secure without Turkey. Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952, but its EU membership process has made little substantive progress for nearly a decade.
Turkey’s role in European security
Turkey occupies a significant geographical position between Europe, the Middle East and the Black Sea. Its territory borders several conflict-affected regions and provides access to important transport, trade and energy routes. These factors have made Ankara an important partner for European governments, even when political relations have been difficult.
Turkey’s NATO membership gives it a formal role in the wider Euro-Atlantic security system. Its armed forces, regional influence and control of the strategically important Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits also contribute to its importance in discussions about European defence and Black Sea security.
However, cooperation on security does not automatically resolve disputes between Turkey and the European Union. The two sides continue to have different positions on democratic standards, human rights, regional foreign policy and the future of Turkey’s accession bid.
Why Turkey’s EU accession process is stalled
Turkey applied to join the European Union in 1987 and became an official candidate country in 1999. Accession negotiations began in 2005, but the process has since slowed considerably.
EU accession requires a candidate country to meet political, legal and economic standards known as the Copenhagen criteria. These include stable democratic institutions, the rule of law, protection of human rights, a functioning market economy and the ability to implement European legislation.
Many negotiation chapters have remained blocked or have not advanced. EU institutions and member states have repeatedly raised concerns about judicial independence, fundamental rights and the treatment of political opponents, journalists and civil society organisations in Turkey. Ankara has rejected several European criticisms and has argued that the EU applies political double standards.
The accession process is therefore not simply a technical programme. It is also a measure of political trust between Turkey and the Union. Security cooperation may continue in areas of mutual interest even while membership negotiations remain inactive.
Turkey and the European single market
Turkey is closely connected to the EU economy through trade and investment. A customs union links much of Turkey’s goods trade with the European single market, although it does not give Turkey the same rights as an EU member state.
This economic relationship affects manufacturers, exporters, logistics companies and consumers on both sides. It also means that developments in Turkey can have consequences for European supply chains, migration policy, energy security and regional commerce.
Domestic politics add pressure to EU relations
Turkey’s European relationship is also influenced by developments inside the country. Recent reporting has included the trial of comedian Deniz Göktaş over allegations of insulting Erdoğan, as well as wider concerns raised about pressure on politicians, artists, journalists and LGBTQ+ activists who are viewed as critical of the government.
These cases are politically sensitive because freedom of expression, judicial independence and the protection of minorities are central elements of the EU’s rule-of-law standards. Allegations or investigations should not be treated as final findings, but the way such cases are handled is closely watched by European institutions and human rights organisations.
Domestic political tensions can make closer EU engagement more difficult, particularly when member states disagree about whether dialogue should focus on practical cooperation or political conditions.
What Erdoğan’s message means for Europe
Erdoğan’s argument reflects a central tension in European affairs: Turkey may be considered indispensable to regional security without being close to EU membership. Ankara can work with European governments on issues such as defence, migration, energy and trade while remaining outside the Union’s decision-making structures.
For the EU, this creates both opportunities and limits:
- Security: Turkey’s NATO role and regional position make it an important partner on Black Sea and wider European security.
- Migration: Cooperation with Ankara affects the management of migration routes and support for refugees, although migration arrangements remain politically contested.
- Trade: Economic ties provide incentives for continued engagement, especially for European companies operating in Turkey.
- Foreign policy: Turkey’s relationships across the Middle East, Caucasus and Black Sea region can support or complicate European diplomatic objectives.
- Democratic standards: Concerns about rights and the rule of law continue to affect the political basis for accession.
Does this change Turkey’s EU membership prospects?
Erdoğan’s remarks do not represent a new EU decision, and they do not restart accession negotiations. Any major change in Turkey’s membership prospects would require political agreement among EU member states and progress across the relevant accession criteria.
For now, the relationship is likely to remain focused on practical cooperation rather than a near-term path to membership. The EU and Turkey have reasons to maintain communication, but strategic importance does not remove the legal and political requirements attached to enlargement.
What happens next?
European governments will continue to balance engagement with scrutiny. Security and economic cooperation can proceed in selected areas, while questions about democratic governance and fundamental rights remain central to the accession debate.
For Ireland and other EU member states, Turkey’s position matters because developments there can affect European security, migration policy, trade routes and relations with neighbouring regions. The immediate issue is not whether Turkey is being admitted to the EU, but how Europe manages a relationship with a strategically important country whose membership process remains stalled.
The key takeaway: Turkey’s role in European security remains significant, but Erdoğan’s appeal for recognition does not alter the frozen EU accession process. Future progress will depend on political dialogue, regional cooperation and the country’s record against the Union’s membership standards.
