German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized that Türkiye is both a strategic ally within NATO and an important trade partner for the European Union, stating that they support Ankara being taken into consideration in the development of the EU’s defense and industrial policies.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul made the remarks during a joint press conference held after his meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Berlin.
Wadephul stated that they had heard from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister Fidan that Türkiye continues to pursue its goal of full EU membership, describing this as “a positive message.”
He said that the German government wants to further strengthen the strategic relationship between Türkiye and the EU, particularly in areas of common interest, stressing that this approach is important for both sides.
“Türkiye Should Be Considered in the EU’s Defense Policies”
Highlighting Türkiye’s strategic importance for Europe, Wadephul made the following assessment:
“Türkiye is an important NATO ally and at the same time one of the EU’s strong trade partners. Therefore, we support Türkiye being taken into consideration in the process of developing the European Union’s defense and industrial policies.”
Wadephul also stated that if Türkiye continues its efforts toward closer integration with the European Union, Germany will remain a “friendly and reliable partner.” However, he underlined that the Copenhagen criteria — including democracy, the rule of law, and human rights — remain indispensable prerequisites for EU membership:
“If Türkiye wishes to move closer toward the European Union, then it will find Germany to be a friendly and reliable partner. In this context, the Copenhagen criteria — namely democracy, the rule of law, and human rights — remain binding preconditions for EU membership.”
He also noted that the modernization of the EU-Türkiye Customs Union could represent an important step forward.