Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Ankara, with defense industry and migration issues dominating the agenda.
Erdogan emphasized that the two countries have high cooperation potential in the defense sector and must focus on joint programs. As he stated, “in light of the changing security conditions in Europe, we must leave behind the problems related to defense product procurement and focus on joint programs.”
The Turkish president, responding to a question about the conviction and imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, emphasized that “no one can trample on laws, regardless of their position,” stressing that “justice handles the legal process as required.”
Erdogan on Gaza and the European Union
Referring to Gaza, Erdogan launched harsh criticism against Germany, saying: “Doesn’t Germany see Israel’s new attacks on Gaza? Doesn’t it see the famine and genocide that Israel is imposing there?” He added that it is a “humanitarian duty for Turkey, Germany and all countries to contribute to ending the hunger and massacres in Gaza.”
Regarding Turkey’s European path, Erdogan stated that Ankara remains “calm and confident” about its stance toward the European Union, noting: “We always said that the Copenhagen Criteria are not a negative process for us. If Europe approaches Turkey based on the Copenhagen Criteria, we also have the Ankara Criteria.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz responds to Erdogan
For his part, Friedrich Merz stated that the meeting extensively discussed migration and deportation issues, emphasizing that Berlin wants more progress in this field.
The German Chancellor also addressed Turkey’s European prospects, saying that “Turkey stands close to the European Union’s side,” however “it has not yet fulfilled the criteria required for its EU candidacy.”
Finally, he noted: “Personally and on behalf of the German government, I see Turkey as a close partner of the European Union. We want to continue facilitating the path to Europe.”
