What does Hakan Fidan’s inclusion in Gymnich mean for Ankara-Brussels ties?

After a gap of five years, the Turkish foreign minister will attend the informal huddle of top European Union (EU) diplomats on Thursday, raising hopes that it will set the stage for Ankara and Brussels to work towards addressing pressing issues.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet his EU counterparts in Brussels on August 29 at a time when Israel’s continuing war on Gaza threatens a wider conflict in the region, and there’s no end in sight for the Russia-Ukraine war.

The exclusive gathering of EU foreign ministers is known as ‘Gymnich’, and it generally focuses on the foreign policy and security issues faced by the regional grouping.

“EU's Türkiye Report, released in November last year, highlights the intention for high-level cooperation driven by geopolitical needs. This shift likely stems from heightened security concerns in Europe following Russia's aggression and the potential impact of another Trump administration in the US,” Associate Professor Murat Aslan of Hasan Kalyoncu University tells TRT World.

“Additionally, the EU's economic challenges and Türkiye's strategic access to vital resources and markets, such as energy, play a crucial role.”

Türkiye’s relationship with the EU has seen ups and downs in recent years, particularly due to regional policy disputes, including tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.

Things came to a head in 2019 when Ankara pushed ahead with offshore drilling in the eastern Mediterranean, looking for oil and gas reserves.

Greece, an EU member, wasn’t happy about the Turkish drilling because it has ambitions of becoming an energy powerhouse. As relations soured, Brussels threatened to impose sanctions and suspended certain dialogue channels with Ankara.

However, ties between Ankara and Brussels have gradually improved since 2021, marked by a resumption of high-level talks.

Ankara hopes this move will lead to improved relations with the bloc, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli expressed optimism that the upcoming meeting could help overcome the “deadlock” from 2019. He noted that the EU’s invitation reflected a growing recognition of the need to repair relations.

Pending matters

Despite being an official candidate for EU membership since 1987, Türkiye’s accession talks, which began in 2005, have stalled. Ankara maintains that the stalemate is due to political obstacles from certain EU members rather than its own suitability for membership.

But even with all the differences, Türkiye remains a vital partner for the EU, especially as a NATO member state, which plays a crucial role in blocking illegal migration to Europe.

Aslan highlights the current and potential conflicts in the regions surrounding Türkiye, which has acted as a mediator and facilitator of peace dialogue, something that its European peers acknowledge.

“Diplomatic achievements like the Grain Corridor initiative and prisoner exchanges can positively influence Europe's perception of Türkiye,” Aslan explains.

As Europe grapples with a challenging geopolitical climate, Türkiye’s role in managing security challenges related to terrorism, cyber threats, and migration has become even more important.

Geographically straddling Europe and Asia, Türkiye controls vital access points, such as the Istanbul Strait, which is critical for global military logistics, energy, and food supplies.

Several key energy pipelines pass through Türkiye on their way to Europe, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), Turkish Stream (Türk Akımı), and the Nabucco Pipeline.

However, the Turkish government has indicated that it wants the EU to move the discussion to pending issues, which have bogged down relations between the two sides.

Oncu Keceli, the foreign ministry spokesman, urged the EU to take “concrete steps” on issues such as Türkiye’s EU accession, visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens, modernising the customs union deal, and deepening discussions on economic, political, transportation, and energy matters.

Türkiye’s diplomatic outreach has expanded in the last few years, as evident by its role in the liberation of Karabakh and the effort to strike peace between Somalia and Ethiopia.

“The EU is likely to seek cooperation from Türkiye through bilateral mechanisms without offering any prospects for membership. This makes the upcoming Foreign Ministers' meeting, which Fidan will attend, crucial for Europe's new approach to Türkiye,” Aslan says.

“However, if the EU attempts to gain concessions from Türkiye without offering anything in return, Ankara may explore alternative options. Given its significant economy, defence capabilities, and geopolitical influence—surpassing that of EU member states like Greece or the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus—Türkiye should be integrated into Europe,” he adds.

“Fidan is expected to emphasise these points during the EU discussions.”