Politics
Top EU official visits Türkiye for $236M projects, stronger partnership
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the European Union and Türkiye share strong ties that outweigh their differences, announcing that two projects each worth 100 million euros ($118 million) will be signed during her Feb. 5-6 visit to Ankara.
“There is really more that connects EU and Türkiye than what is dividing us, and we really should work on this,” she told Anadolu Agency (AA), stressing that “our economies are very much interdependent.”
Kos said she is “very much looking forward” to her first official visit to Türkiye, and explained that she had “intense contacts” with her Turkish counterparts “since the first day” of her mandate, especially with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
She asserted that her visit aligns with the approach of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the aim of opening a new perspective in the relations.
“We are really living in challenging times. The world is changing around us. We are seeing the return of imperial behavior as China, Russia, and the U.S. are aggressively building their spheres of interest,” Kos said.
In the face of these geopolitical challenges, Kos urged strengthening cooperation, noting: “Our economies are very much interdependent. Whatever happens on the field of migration on each side is affecting the other side.”
Kos expressed hope that the Ukraine peace agreement would be signed soon to “change the realities in Europe and also especially in the Black Sea, where I see Türkiye as a very important partner already.”
Focusing on trust
Kos explained that she aims to foster trust during her visit as “trust is getting nowadays more and more important” while both in politics and business one needs partners “whom you can trust and build on.”
She described Türkiye as the “heart” of the EU’s Connectivity Strategy, a geopolitical approach aimed at establishing transport, energy, digital, and people-focused connections, seeking to “better Europe with Central Asia and turning this middle corridor into a very, very strong connection.”
“We can’t do this without Türkiye,” she asserted.
European Investment Bank
According to Kos, the Connectivity Strategy will allow much more for the EU and its partners “together in the Caucasus.”
“This is also why I’m very happy that the European Investment Bank (EIB) is coming back to Türkiye,” she said, referring to the multilateral financial institution owned by the EU’s 27 member states that provides funds for strategic projects.
“During my visit to Ankara, two projects, each worth of 100 million euros, will be signed as part of the re-engagement of the EIB, which wasn’t possible for some years,” she revealed.
She praised the EIB’s re-engagement as a result of the “high-level dialogue and economic discussions last year” that the “business community really, really loved to see.”
“Now it is happening,” she said, stressing that the two new renewable energy projects financed by the EIB “is now the start,” and the EU bank, as well as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank, would also play an important role in the future in new renewable energy and connectivity projects.
To support this agenda, Kos will meet with the minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
Impact of EU trade deals
Asked about the potential impact of recently signed trade deals with the South American trade bloc Mercosur and India on the EU’s customs union with Türkiye, Kos asserted that the agreement underpins the “attractiveness” of making a free trade agreement with the EU and its 450-million-strong market, despite “some people are doubting” the bloc’s geopolitical relevance.
She called the recent free trade deals “very important,” but emphasized that “the trade between the EU and Türkiye is almost twice as much as our trade with Mercosur.”
Kos urged to look at the “bigger picture in these uncertain times, when China, Russia and the U.S. are creating their spheres of interest.”
“It will be more and more important that we do business with reliable partners. There are many things we can do to improve the bilateral trade,” she noted, and explained that she had just received a letter from the Turkish business community, also published in the Financial Times, about the future of the EU-Türkiye economic relations.
“We should make much more out of this trading relation, including the improvement of the functioning of the customs union and removing some barriers we still have there,” she asserted.
Noting that “both sides should work on this” while there is a “clear will and possibility,” she promised to put all her “energy into moving on this.”
“We really shouldn’t miss this big chance which we have today, but it needs to be our common project and both sides have to deliver,” she added.
Admitting that the customs union with Türkiye has not been updated for 30 years, Kos mentioned that all political developments, and especially relations with the Greek Cypriot administration, can help to make progress in this area.
‘Made in Europe’ initiative
The “Made in Europe” initiative, which prioritizes European companies in public procurement in EU countries, is also “in principle a response to how the world of trade is also changing,” Kos revealed.
She explained that the rules set by the World Trade Organization have been increasingly eroded and trade dependencies are used as blackmail or a weapon, which the EU wants to prevent.
“We want to be sure that if we spend public money, it actually benefits the companies that choose to work in Europe or close to Europe, who want to innovate, who also want to invest and produce in Europe and in places we can trust. This is a matter of security,” she stressed.
She reminded that the work and discussions on the “Made in Europe” initiative are still in progress, and promised to “always defend that this economic logic should be aligned with our geopolitical logic, where we have to see who is our partner and with which partner we can get a better win-win situation out of this.”
“If we take together economic and geopolitical logic, this cannot exclude Türkiye,” Kos stated, adding that in order to participate in EU public procurements, first, the conditions enabling trade need to be “further developed.”
“We would love to see Türkiye involved deeper in some of our policies, but there are some conditions which have to be fulfilled,” she went on.
Kos said she would be meeting with Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek in Ankara, hailing that the EU and Türkiye had resumed high-level dialogues.
“Last year we had five: economy, trade, migration, security, research, innovation, agriculture,” she asserted.
“I would also be very happy if we would be able to do also the high-level dialogues on energy and transport. For the time being, it is not possible, but let’s move and see what we can do to make this possible,” she added.
She called for more trust, noting that “big changes will not come through the night until we are able to build trust.”
EU membership perspective
Asked about Türkiye’s EU membership perspective in the face of political obstacles, Kos acknowledged that “since 2018, there is a standstill in the negotiation or accession process” but underscored that the EU still “considers Türkiye as a candidate country.”
Acknowledging that they are “not starting from scratch,” Kos underlined that the latest EU enlargement reports on the progress of candidate countries had “seen steps away from EU standards, especially on the rule of law and democracy.”
“I know that Türkiye has a very long democratic tradition and also a strong civil society, and this is what we would like to strengthen, and this would build trust between the EU and Türkiye,” she underlined.
According to Kos, there are “immense possibilities” to be exploited within the 450-million-strong internal market of the EU and Türkiye’s over 80 million people.
“If we could put new energy into the development of the field of democracy, I think we could do really, really much more,” she asserted.
Kos described that the accession process is influenced by dynamics in the candidate countries and EU member states as well, and “we are engaging with our candidate countries, and the decision-making process is worked out together.”
“We know that any progress is connected to bilateral relations, not just Cyprus, but also with the Cyprus and the new Cyprus settlement talks. It is now a big opportunity to continue,” she added.
Defense cooperation
Asked about prospects of Türkiye’s contribution to the EU’s efforts in strengthening its defense industry and capabilities, Kos acknowledged Türkiye as a “very important, reliable NATO partner, the second-largest member in NATO, the institution that secured peace and security in the broader sense in Europe.”
“We also have seen how Turkish drones have been playing a decisive role at the beginning of the war in Ukraine. We have also seen the role Türkiye is playing in the war. For all of these reasons, Türkiye is a kind of natural partner for Europe, and it would be good both for us if we could work more together,” she added.
“Under certain conditions, Turkish companies can already cooperate, be part of our rearmament programs, if they have subsidies here in Europe,” she explained.
Kos also stressed: “Personally, I would like to really see strong involvement of stronger involvement of Türkiye in the security in Europe,” but warned that the development of EU security policy depends on member states.
“The new Cyprus settlement talks are a great opportunity for improvements also in this area,” she said, noting that Türkiye is “undisputably a really important NATO and security partner.”
Visa liberalization
Referring to the EU’s recently announced visa strategy, Kos underlined that due to last year’s high-level dialogue on migration, the EU could introduce the so-called cascade system, allowing Turkish citizens to more easily get multiple visas, and that “this is already showing the results.”
She highlighted that visa-free travel is one of the main topics in which she would like to see advancement, but warned that there are six conditions to be fulfilled.
Wowing to keep visa liberalization on the “high priority list” during her visit to Ankara, she explained that connectivity does not only mean “hard power in the sense of trade and transport and energy.”
“When I speak about the connectivity, I would also like to stress the connections between people,” Kos asserted.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh in Ankara on Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources.
The meeting focused on regional and global developments, the sources said.
The sources said on Monday that Türkiye would reiterate its full support to the State of Palestine, safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people and the vision for a two-state solution during the talks. It was also highlighted that Türkiye will not allow the Netanyahu government’s illegal actions and annexation policies in the occupied Palestinian territories to hinder regional and international efforts for the two-state solution.
Fidan was also expected to underline the international community’s responsibility to prevent the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from deepening. The talks would focus on the “Board of Peace” and related mechanisms, the situation on the field and future steps, sources said, adding that they would also raise the issue of Israel’s attempts to undermine the Board of Peace’s activities.
The Turkish public and government are major supporters of the Palestinian cause. Türkiye has been a traditional ally to Palestine, but as the Israeli attacks became more brutal, Ankara has become harsher in its criticism in the past year. It has condemned what it calls genocide, halted all trade with Israel and applied to join the genocide case against Israel at the World Court, which Israel rejects.
Türkiye’s intelligence chief held talks with a senior Hamas delegation in Ankara, with discussions centered on the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza and the deepening humanitarian crisis, security sources said.
The head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, met with Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’ negotiating team, along with accompanying officials, in a meeting that addressed key regional developments.
According to sources, the talks focused on the situation in Gaza, including Israel’s continued military operations and their humanitarian impact. The sides also discussed Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and restrictions imposed on worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Participants emphasized the need for Israel to fulfill its obligations under the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire plan and reviewed prospects for implementing the second phase.
The Hamas delegation expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s efforts to support peace in Gaza and conveyed thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Ankara’s ongoing diplomatic engagement.
Turkish authorities have issued detention warrants for 12 suspects as part of an investigation into the alleged “public sector confidential structure” of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), prosecutors said Tuesday.
According to a statement from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau identified suspects who allegedly operated within the group’s covert network, infiltrating state institutions. The probe focused on operational phone lines and communication methods used by the organization.
Authorities said evidence indicates that the suspects used ByLock, an encrypted messaging application associated with FETÖ, and were in contact through sequential calls made via payphones and prepaid lines, a known communication tactic of the group.
Some suspects are also linked to prior testimonies regarding organizational activities.
Among the 12 suspects, five are reportedly still employed in public institutions. Police counterterrorism units, in coordination with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), launched simultaneous operations across four provinces centered in Ankara to detain the suspects.
Separately, in the northwestern province of Edirne, four individuals, including three suspects accused of links to FETÖ, were captured while they were allegedly attempting to cross the border illegally, officials said Monday.
According to security sources, teams from the Provincial Police Department’s Intelligence Branch and the Keşan Police Department’s Counterterrorism Unit conducted an operation targeting individuals preparing for illegal departure abroad.
Following procedures at the police station, all four suspects were referred to court. A judge ordered their arrest pending trial, authorities said.
FETÖ is behind the defeated coup attempt, in which 252 people were killed, and 2,734 were wounded. The attempt was plotted and carried out by FETÖ.
Along with the 2016 coup attempt, FETÖ is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltration.
Türkiye has targeted the terrorist group’s active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and its influence has been much reduced since 2016.
Abdullah Öcalan, jailed ringleader of the PKK terrorist group, confirmed that his group’s “armed struggle” ended and there was no turning back. “It is a process of transition to peace within a democratic republic,” Öcalan said in a message relayed through a delegation of pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) on Tuesday.
The delegation visited Öcalan the island prison where he is incarcerated on March 27 as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative was launched by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in 2024. Öcalan has agreed to Bahçeli’s invitation to call on the PKK to lay down arms. After Öcalan’s landmark message in February 2025, the PKK consented to start the disarmament process. Since then, Turkish authorities have monitored the full disarmament process and are expected to implement laws to further facilitate the initiative, including by possible leniency in sentencing for PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism.
In his message, Öcalan said the process’ success would “double the strength of the republic.”
“The democratic society is based on such a solution. We have to develop an understanding of citizenship regulating Kurds’ relation with the state in a positive manner,” Öcalan said.
For decades, the PKK carried out a campaign of violence for what it called a self-styled Kurdish autonomy. Öcalan underlined that the initiative was an attempt to resolve a major problem and people should not have a narrow view.
“Pro-hegemony forces have designs for the Middle East. We have seen relatively positive developments in Syria but now war on Iran broke out. The war on Iran laid bare three sides: the U.S.-Israel side, a side led by the United Kingdom, some international and regional powers seeking to maintain status quo and the third side is ours, a side defending democracy and coexistence with the ‘Peace and Democratic Society Process,’” he said, using a name he gave to the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
”What is happening in Iran proved that the process in Türkiye is on the right path and demonstrated that it is important,” Öcalan said.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, colleagues and friends of Mehmet Selim Kiraz joined on Tuesday a commemoration ceremony for Mehmet Selim Kiraz, the prosecutor who was killed by terrorists 11 years ago. On the same day, authorities announced a new operation into the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), which was behind the killing, and captured 12 suspects linked to the group.
Kiraz was the prosecutor behind the investigation into the death of Berkin Elvan, who was killed in the Gezi Park riots in 2014. Elvan posthumously became a poster child for DHKP-C propaganda. On March 31, 2015, two DHKP-C terrorists, including one posing as a lawyer, entered the Istanbul courthouse where Kiraz was working. The two suspects held Kiraz hostage for hours before the security forces closed in on them. The terrorists who briefly broadcast the incident live murdered Kiraz hours later. Security forces then stormed the room where Kiraz was held hostage and killed the two murderers of 46-year-old Kiraz.
The main courthouse of Istanbul in the Çağlayan neighborhood was named after the prosecutor posthumously. Gürlek, who worked at the same courthouse as chief prosecutor before his appointment as minister last February, paid tribute to Kiraz in a speech at the courthouse, near the room where Kiraz was killed, which was turned into a commemoration spot.
“These bullets were not just meant for Kiraz. They tried to attack the Turkish judiciary, but let them; the judiciary never succumbs to fear,” Gürlek said in a speech at the ceremony on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, police in Istanbul and the northern city of Giresun launched operations against the DHKP-C and detained 12 suspects who were working for an association linked to the terrorist group.
The DHKP-C is an offshoot of an extremist Marxist-Leninist movement that emerged in the 1970s and was formally established in the 1990s after splintering from a broader coalition of far-left organizations. The group has been responsible for a series of violent attacks over the decades, including the assassination of two politicians and several intelligence officials in 1980.
While the organization maintained a relatively low profile for years, it resurfaced with high-profile attacks in the past decade. In 2013, a DHKP-C militant carried out a suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy compound in Ankara, killing a Turkish security guard.
In 2024, the group attempted a similar attack at the courthouse where they killed Kiraz, but police officers stationed outside the building thwarted the operation, killing two attackers before they could enter.
A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was successfully intercepted by NATO air and missile defense systems in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, underscoring Ankara’s readiness to act decisively against any threat to its sovereignty.
The ministry said the projectile was detected and neutralized before it could pose a risk, highlighting the effectiveness of coordinated defense mechanisms in the region.
It continued by emphasizing that all necessary measures are being implemented without hesitation to safeguard the country’s territory and airspace. The statement also stressed that developments across the region are being monitored closely, with national security remaining the top priority.
The interception comes amid heightened regional tensions, reinforcing Türkiye’s commitment to maintaining stability while protecting its borders through rapid and coordinated military responses.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
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