A timely visit to Ankara will set the tone before the NATO summit, offering a chance to reset EU Turkey relations and coordinate security steps.
Kaja Kallas and Kos arrive in Turkey ahead of the NATO Summit, which is expected to be held in Ankara on July 7–8.
According to the announcement, during the visit the European delegation will hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The visit will take place on the eve of the NATO summit to be held in Ankara on July 7–8. For Kaja Kallas, this will be her second official visit to Turkey in her role as the EU’s High Representative.
– announcement
It is expected that the parties will discuss the state of relations between the EU and Turkey, shared geopolitical challenges, and prospects for deepening cooperation
– statement
Context on EU–Turkey relations
Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership since 1999. Negotiations, begun in 2005, were suspended in 2016 due to political disagreements and criticism from Brussels over human rights violations and the principles of democracy. In Ankara, despite Brussels’s criticism and the negative aspects in relations with the EU, particularly regarding the integration process, they continue to insist that obtaining full EU membership remains Turkey’s goal.
Turkey again states its readiness to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine and its partners need closer security and defense cooperation and have urged partners to prepare strong decisions ahead of the meeting.
The NATO summit will be held in Ankara on July 7–8, and it is expected to serve as a platform for aligning positions on security and defense and for further coordination among member states and partners.
All sides expect that pre-summit meetings will outline a path for more active cooperation between the EU, Turkey, and allies in crisis regions and on the diplomatic front, which will form part of the discussions at the Ankara meeting.