Turkey's efforts for peace in the wake of a war between Russia and Ukraine are "appreciated by the EU officials," the head of the EU-Turkey Friendship Group said on Saturday.
"Right now, Turkey's peaceful role which is centered around the idea of promoting diplomatic negotiations between the conflicting sides is very crucial," Ryszard Czarnecki told Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
The three-day high-level event in the resort city of Antalya has brought together participants from 75 countries, including 17 heads of state, 80 government ministers, and 39 representatives of international organizations. Anadolu Agency is the forum's global communications partner.
Czarnecki noted that Turkey is calling for an immediate end to the war and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.
"Turkey's efforts to de-escalate the conflict is also seen in Turkey's fondness of a solution that involves peaceful engagement. Overall, the mediator attitude adopted by Turkey was accompanied by the support Turkey has directed for the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine," he said.
Turkey's implementation of the Montreux Convention, which regulates the passage through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Strait in time of war, has earned the praises of NATO and the EU, Czarnecki said.
"The fact that how Turkey perceives the current events are parallel with the EU's stance intrinsically makes room for more cooperation between two actors. It indicates that a common response can be generated in order to deal with the humanitarian, security and energy aspects of the crisis," he added.
On Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent application for EU membership, Czarnecki said that Ukraine's place in the future is in the EU.
"Because Ukraine is the part of political and cultural Europe. But frankly speaking, it's not an easy target," he said.
"As outlined by the European Union, countries that desire to become a part of the EU must align their structural agenda in a way to meet the strict accession criteria. In other words, regardless of the recent phenomena, for Ukraine to join the EU, the country should design its legal, political, economic and social structures in accordance with what is essentially expected by an EU Member State," Czarnecki added.
Noting that the EU is supporting Ukraine economically and politically, he said: "What is initially prioritized by the EU in the recent scene is putting an end to the war and proceeding to the next steps to evaluate the possible paths that need to be taken to answer Ukraine's request for EU membership rather than immediately starting a process that would naturally bring along procedural difficulties."
He said that the first step has been taken by Zelensky, but "accession is a lengthy process where the candidate should perform an ever-growing compatibility in a gradual and absorbing fashion, which usually takes nearly a decade."
"To stay committed to that process, the EU is aware that Ukraine should acquire territorial stability first and concentrates on its capabilities accordingly," he added.
"I think in the future, if our European Union wants to be really strong, we must finally invite Turkey also. Because, practically, for me, there is no alternative. But I know, it's not an easy and short way," Czarnecki said.
Responding to a question regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's comments that the EU should show Turkey the same "sensitivity" they did for Ukraine on accession, Czarnecki said: "The possibility of the EU showing the same sensitivity for Turkey is a feasible path and the EU does not need to witness similar events happening to Turkey to grant Turkey an EU membership."
"On what is right now going on in Ukraine, the stances embraced by Turkey and the EU are not separate and the intensity of current developments led to an atmosphere of briefly rethinking the past EU enlargements and what originally produced them," he said, adding previous accessions to the bloc originated from "political decisions that were either security-oriented or swayed by the idea of conveying more freedom to the region."
Czarnecki said that the fact that Ukraine is experiencing a war that is threatening for European security cannot be interpreted without considering the EU's previous motivations for welcoming new members.
"Therefore, Turkey's significance for the European security is likely to remain as the driving force in case of any similar occasion," he added.
On the modernization of the 1995 Customs Union (CU), Czarnecki said that "a positive trend is anticipated" and that the CU is proved to be mutually beneficial.
"One of the examples is the increase observed in the trade activities between Spain and Turkey after the CU was formed. Therefore, proper implementation of the existing framework as well as the modernization of it could strengthen and smoothen the commercial dialogue by increasing the volume of trade," he said.
"Since the developments regarding Turkey's accession process have led the process to a stalemate, modernization of the Customs Union and granting visa exemption for the Turkish citizens could be a possible way to steer Turkey back to the process," he added.
Since Turkey shows willingness to transition to a greener economy, "CU modernization could help Turkey facilitate its economic transformation," said Czarnecki.
