Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed his support for Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations, following discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Erdogan’s statement has drawn the attention of Russia, which is closely monitoring the situation.
Zelensky has been actively seeking support from NATO countries during his recent visits, ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Lithuania. The summit is expected to reaffirm Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO. Erdogan, during a joint press conference with Zelensky, stated that Ukraine undoubtedly deserves to be a part of NATO, a sentiment that pleased Zelensky.
While visiting the Czech Republic, Zelensky emphasized the need for a clear signal from NATO, indicating that Ukraine will become a member. He stressed that merely leaving the door open for Ukraine is insufficient and called for a more definitive commitment.
NATO follows an open-door policy, allowing any country expressing interest to join, provided it is capable and willing to uphold the alliance’s founding principles. However, the accession rules dictate that any existing member state can veto the entry of a new country. Some allies, especially those in Eastern Europe geographically closer to Ukraine and Russia, advocate for a concrete path for Ukraine to join the alliance once the conflict ends. On the other hand, some officials argue that expediting Ukraine’s NATO membership could be highly provocative and pose significant risks to the alliance, especially if Russia maintains territorial claims over Ukraine.
Turkey previously dropped its objections to Finland joining NATO this year but continues to block Sweden’s entry into the alliance.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Erdogan has emerged as a crucial mediator, attempting to maintain a balance between the conflicting sides. He played a significant role in brokering the Black Sea grain deal, which resolved the issue of millions of tons of wheat stuck due to Russia’s invasion, thereby averting a global hunger crisis. The agreement is set to expire soon, and Erdogan has indicated his support for its extension. He also mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be visiting Turkey in the coming month.
Erdogan emphasized the importance of prisoner swaps and mentioned ongoing discussions with both Ukraine and Russia on this matter. Zelensky, alongside Erdogan, stressed the need for the Black Sea to be a safe area without any “frozen conflicts.” He expressed the importance of working with partners to ensure the grain corridor’s existence and the livelihoods it supports are not dependent on the whims of the Russian president.
The Kremlin stated its close observation of the talks between Ukraine and Turkey, acknowledging the constructive and reciprocal relations between Moscow and Ankara. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Erdogan for acting as an intermediary between Russia and Ukraine, noting the regular communication between Putin and Erdogan.