President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the importance of Türkiye's strategic role for the European Union, as he met with Poland's prime minister in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.

"If the European Union wants to prevent or even reverse its loss of power and influence, it can only achieve this through Türkiye's full membership," Erdoğan told a joint press conference following a bilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Presidential Complex.

"We consistently emphasize that full EU membership remains our strategic goal. We frequently discuss with our counterparts our desire to advance cooperation with the EU based on mutual benefit and respect," Erdoğan said.

He noted that both leaders had the opportunity to discuss possible steps to end the war in Ukraine and also exchanged views on the future of European security and regional issues, including Syria and Palestine.

"We consider Ukraine's acceptance of a ceasefire as positive and important. We now hope Russia will respond constructively," Erdoğan said.

For his part, Tusk expressed hope that Ankara would play a key role in promoting peace.

"I made a clear proposal to President Erdoğan: that Türkiye takes on the greatest possible responsibility in the peace process, ensuring stability and security across our region," he said. He noted that Erdoğan would be visiting Warsaw next month.

Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s willingness to host any potential peace talks, stating, "If the latest developments lead Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, we are ready to facilitate discussions."

Before departing from Warsaw, Tusk emphasized the importance of NATO and European countries working together effectively to guarantee stability along the Russia-Ukraine border following any truce. "Türkiye’s role could be crucial in this regard," he added.

The proposal for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire in Ukraine emerged during talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday between Ukrainian and U.S. officials, as the war enters its fourth year.

Meanwhile, Russia stated that it is awaiting official notification from the United States regarding the cease-fire proposal, following the recent resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Source - https://www.dailysabah.com

12.03.2025 04:46