Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday said the real obstacle to Türkiye’s long-stalled EU membership bid is not conditions or reforms, but the European Union’s lack of political will.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Austria with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Fidan said Ankara has never asked for special treatment or entry without fulfilling membership requirements.
“If you are joining somewhere, there are conditions. Those conditions are presented to you, and when you meet them, you join,” Fidan said.
“But the problem is this: there is no political will in the European Union that says, ‘When Türkiye fulfills the conditions, we accept it as an EU member.’”
Fidan pointed to Türkiye’s strategic importance, especially highlighted by the Russia-Ukraine war, asking why Brussels still hesitates despite Ankara’s geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic value.
‘Political will was killed in 2007’
Fidan said the EU’s political commitment to Türkiye’s accession was effectively ended by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007.
He argued that the earlier support shown by former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and former French President Jacques Chirac disappeared under Sarkozy’s leadership.
Despite this, Fidan stressed that regional crises—from the Russia-Ukraine war to tensions in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz—are forcing Europe and Türkiye to work together regardless of the formal state of EU ties.
He also highlighted the nearly $250 billion trade volume between Türkiye and the EU, saying an updated Customs Union could push that figure to $500 billion.
“Both sides want to move forward, but somehow no step can be taken,” Fidan said. “There are problems on the EU side in showing political will.”
He added that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s position on the issue remains clear and that Ankara is ready to deepen ties.
“Our policy is always to keep relations with Europe strong,” Fidan said.
