Erdogan accuses EU of straying from founding principles during war in Ukraine

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that the European Union has “moved away from its founding principles” and been under the influence of the short-term policies drafted by the member countries in recent years. Speaking on the occasion of Europe Day celebrated in Turkey on May 9, Erdogan said that Ankara has been playing a crucial role since the approval of the its candidacy in the European Union (EU) at the Helsinki summit of December, 1999 under the provisions of 1963 Association Agreement. Ankara has been contributing to the security of Europe and the West throughout the decades of the Cold War as a part of NATO.

The Turkish leader acknowledged the “success of the EU project” that he said had started with the historic announcement of the Schuman Declaration [or Schuman Plan] by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on May 9, 1950. The arrangement led to the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, with the ECSC founding members: France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. These supranational European institutions ultimately become today's "European Union” [EU]. 

“The ideas behind the Schuman Declaration enabled the countries in Europe to leave aside their differences as well as animosities, and come together for peace, security, development, and prosperity following a war ruining the whole world,” said Turkish leader Erdogan. 

Russia-Ukraine war 'a warning” for bloc: Erdogan 

On the Russia and Ukraine war, Erdogan underscored that the conflict is, in fact, “a warning” for the bloc and that it requires a “solidarity, cooperation, and a visionary and bold stance.” He then highlighted what he described as the “multi-faceted ties” between Turkey and Europe, and Ankara’s significance in maintaining the stability in the bloc. Ankara’s leader asked EU to focus on the common denominators instead of differences to improve the relations and overcome challenges in the region. 

“The repercussions of the war in Ukraine that have reached a global level have reaffirmed how Turkey is of strategic importance for the EU in many areas, security, migration, supply chains, and energy in particular,” Erdogan said.

“The full-membership process to the EU, which Turkiye has been maintaining patiently and determinedly despite all kinds of obstacles, should be promoted with a constructive approach,” Erdogan concluded.

Turkey has been mediating peace talks between its ally Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul and has majorly assumed a "neutral" stance during the ongoing conflict. The NATO member has continued to supply weapons to Ukraine to deter Russia's aggression and has refused to impose sanctions on Russia. 

Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had also reiterated earlier, “Once this is all over, there will have to be a new security architecture to emerge globally." He then added, "How the global security architecture will be structured will shape the course of events for decades to come."