Erdoğan tells UN that Europe cannot be safe without Turkey

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for Turkey to play a more central role in Europe’s security architecture, arguing that the continent cannot be fully secure without Ankara’s involvement.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Erdoğan said a Europe that excludes Turkey from its security arrangements “cannot possibly be stronger or safer”. Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952, but its bid to join the European Union has been effectively frozen for almost a decade.

Erdoğan pointed to Turkey’s role within NATO and its hosting of the alliance’s summit in July as evidence of its commitment to European security.

He also said Turkey wanted to shape its future relationship with the EU around a strategic vision based on security and cooperation, and called for Brussels to adopt the same approach. Erdoğan has made similar arguments since April 2025, when he said European security was “unthinkable without Turkey”.

via Euronews