'Do not exclude Türkiye, don't push it toward Putin or Trump,' Turkish opposition leader tells EU lawmakers

ISTANBUL

Do not exclude Türkiye, and “do not push it towards (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or (US President Donald) Trump,” Türkiye's main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel told European Parliament lawmakers last month, Ozel said Thursday.

"Türkiye has NATO’s second-largest army, and Trump is threatening Europe. In the face of security threats, alongside Türkiye – a strong and full member – you can overcome all problems. But by no means push it," Ozel told EP members.

Stressing that it was "wrong" to not invite Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Syria meetings in London earlier this year – actually referring to meetings this January in Italy – Ozel added that inviting the Turkish foreign minister to France and having a virtual meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were both steps in the right direction.

Ozel added that he urged EU lawmakers to invite Erdogan in the direction of “democratic principles," adding that he told MEPs to "not work with him as part of a give-and-take relationship, but on the basis of a full (European Union) membership goal."