Erdogan, after meeting with Orban, predicts a slowdown in Ukraine and Moldova's accession to EU

Turkish leader says Ankara "long deserves" to become an EU member, but is "kept waiting at the door for years"

Oksana Zhytniuk

Senior editor at LIGA.net

December 19 2023, 16:49

Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: EPA)

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan said that the European Union would block the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU and that Ankara "had long earned the right to join the bloc but was being kept waiting for political reasons." He said this while speaking to journalists on the way back from Hungary, Reuters reports.

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"Giving them (Ukraine and Moldova. – Ed.) candidate status does not mean they will become EU members. A process will start with them, they will be stalled too. None of these countries are a Turkey," Erdoğan said.

He considers it "wrong" that Turkey, which, in his opinion, is more ready to join the EU than "some" member states, "was being kept waiting for political reasons."

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Erdoğan said that Turkey's strategic and economic potential "had long earned the right to join the bloc."

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He noted that progress in this process can be seen during the presidency of the EU Council of Hungary in 2024, with which Ankara has good relations.

"The EU needs to turn back from this mistake now," Erdoğan said.

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REFERENCE.

Turkey has been a candidate for membership in the European Union since 1999, and in 2005 accession talks officially began, which have been stalled for many years. The EU does not like Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian style of government after the failed coup attempt in 2016. In September, Erdogan threatened official Brussels with a "breakup" with the EU over a critical 2022 report by the European Parliament on the progress of his country's accession negotiations.

In September, Erdoğan threatened official Brussels with "breaking up" with the European Union over a critical 2022 report by the European Parliament on the progress of negotiations on his country's accession to the bloc.

Yesterday, Erdoğan paid a one-day visit to Hungary within the framework of the sixth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the countries. Orbán gave the Turkish leader a horse, and he gave him an electric car.

Today, Erdoğan said that the Turkish Parliament's ratification of Sweden's membership in NATO depends on the US Congress's approval of Turkey's request for the purchase of F-16 fighter jets.

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