KAHRAMANMARAS, Turkiye

Turkiye has emerged as “a very important actor” in efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to the top European Union diplomat in Turkiye. 

“Turkey has had many diplomatic initiatives to try to bring the Ukrainians and Russians together. Turkey has been a very important actor in this conflict,” Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, head of the EU Delegation to Turkiye, told Anadolu Agency.

He said Turkiye’s standing in NATO was also evident at this week’s summit of top leaders in Brussels.

“Turkey, as a very important NATO ally, fully participated in the NATO decision-making,” he said, stressing the significance of solidarity within the alliance amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Meyer-Landrut added that Ankara has also taken “important decisions” regarding the 1936 Montreux Convention, which gives Turkiye the authority to restrict the passage of naval vessels through the Istanbul and Canakkale Straits during times of war.

“What is important now is that we all stand together in condemning and countering this (Russian) aggression, but also in supporting Ukraine in its fight,” he said.

“In both respects, Turkey, of course, is hugely important,” he added.  

EU accession 

On Turkiye’s bid to join the EU, Meyer-Landrut said the Ukraine war has “completely changed the international setting.”

“This geopolitical shake-up which we are witnessing also opens opportunities for reinforced cooperation between Turkey and the European Union,” he said.

“I hope that these opportunities will be taken up by both sides.”

Turkiye applied for EU membership in 1987 and accession talks began in 2005.

In the years since, the talks have been essentially frozen due to political roadblocks by certain EU members, for reasons unrelated to its suitability for membership, according to Ankara.  

* Writing by Gozde Bayar