Erdogan Calls Turkey's EU Membership a Strategic Goal

Turkey views its full membership in the EU as a strategic goal, and the union's approach towards the country aligns with common interests, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership since 1999. However, negotiations between Ankara and Brussels on this matter have long hit a deadlock. Western media note that there is no unity among EU member states regarding Turkey’s candidacy.

In 2023, Erdogan stated that he would agree to Sweden joining NATO, provided that Turkey is accepted into the EU. As a result, it became known that Stockholm is committed to assisting Ankara on its path to the European Union in exchange for Turkey's approval of its NATO membership.