EU moves to soothe Türkiye after von der Leyen groups NATO ally with Russia and China

The European Union moved to contain diplomatic fallout on Tuesday after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen grouped Türkiye with Russia and China, suggesting the NATO member was a potential threat to be excluded from European influence.

Speaking at an event hosted by Die Zeit in Hamburg on Sunday, von der Leyen emphasized her support for EU enlargement, stating that the bloc must succeed in “completing the European continent to ensure it does not fall under the influence of Russia, Türkiye, or China.”

The remarks were made during an interview with Giovanni di Lorenzo, the editor-in-chief of Die Zeit, in which von der Leyen responded to questions submitted by readers.

Affirming her stance on expansion, the Commission President said, “We must succeed in completing the European continent in a way that keeps it away from the influence of Russia, Türkiye, or China. We need to think from a larger, geopolitical perspective.”

The dissemination of these remarks by Anadolu Agency (AA) and the subsequent public backlash in Türkiye forced the EU to issue a clarification.

Paula Pinho, a chief spokesperson for the EU executive, told Bloomberg on Tuesday that the reference to Türkiye was an “acknowledgment of its geopolitical influence, size, and ambitions, particularly in the Western Balkans, and was not intended as a comparison to any other country.”

Responding to queries regarding von der Leyen’s comments, Pinho initially noted that as an EU candidate country, Türkiye carries “additional responsibilities regarding neighborhood,” specifically in the Western Balkans.

Pinho added that Türkiye is “undoubtedly an important partner in the region, both economically and politically,” particularly on issues such as migration. She also emphasized that the country remains an EU candidate and a “key NATO ally.”

The diplomatic friction comes at a time when the bloc is attempting to strengthen its geopolitical ties as the US conflict with Iran deepens global instability.

Türkiye, which maintains the second-largest military within NATO, is scheduled to host the defense alliance’s summit this July.

The country has long sought to join the EU and has recently called for closer cooperation to bolster continental security.

According to a Turkish diplomat, the European Commission responded to inquiries regarding the accuracy of the press reports by stating that the remarks were taken out of context and would be clarified.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued an official comment on the matter.

This is not the first instance of friction between von der Leyen and her Turkish counterparts. During a 2021 visit to Ankara to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the EU’s top executive was famously left without a chair, forced to sit on a sofa because the only available seat was occupied by then-European Council President Charles Michel.

During the Die Zeit event, von der Leyen also stated that she believes it is time to reform the principle of unanimity within the EU.

“We must move to majority voting in the Council of Foreign Ministers, though not in the European Council,” the President said.

Arguing that a more independent EU is essential, von der Leyen stated:

“If you look at the EU’s business model, our competitiveness has hitherto relied on cheap energy from Russia, cheap labor from China, and cheap defense provided by the US. That era has ended. We must completely rethink our approach. We must take responsibility for the security of our continent ourselves. We must become more independent.”

Von der Leyen further defended the Green Deal, describing it as an “excellent initiative” built on a “solid foundation.”

The President included “modular nuclear reactors” alongside wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydroelectric power as essential “clean energy” sources.

“We need nuclear energy that we can rely on when renewable sources are insufficient. Phasing out nuclear energy was a mistake. We must be careful not to fall behind in innovation,” she said.

Emphasizing the need for research into energy storage, von der Leyen also responded to a reader’s question regarding nuclear waste by noting that further research is required for the safe disposal of existing nuclear materials.