Brussels 08 July,UNIPA News-European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a working dinner in Ankara on Wednesday evening, as the European Union seeks to strengthen cooperation with Turkey while maintaining pressure over democratic standards and the rule of law.
The meeting, taking place after the NATO summit, will also include European Council President António Costa. Discussions are expected to focus on shared strategic interests, including security, defence, migration, and regional stability.
European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Olof Gill described Turkey as an important partner for the EU, saying both sides share strategic interests across a broad range of areas that are expected to dominate the talks.
The meeting comes amid efforts by Brussels to improve relations with Ankara despite longstanding disagreements. German Member of the European Parliament Engin Eroglu described the dinner as an opportunity to reset ties and move toward a more pragmatic and security-focused partnership.
Defence cooperation is expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Turkey has expressed interest in closer involvement in the European Union’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence programme. However, its participation remains limited after objections from Greece and Cyprus, restricting Turkish companies to supplying up to 35% of the total component costs in eligible projects.
The renewed diplomatic engagement follows recent high-level EU visits to Ankara led by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner. Their discussions highlighted cooperation on multilateralism, regional security, migration, and energy, while reaffirming Turkey’s status as an EU candidate country.
Despite growing strategic cooperation, European lawmakers continue to stress that closer relations should not come at the expense of democratic principles. Polish MEP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus said Turkey remains an essential NATO ally, particularly as Europe seeks to strengthen its own security and support Ukraine. However, she emphasized that progress in EU-Turkey relations depends on improvements in democracy, freedom of expression, judicial independence, and respect for political opposition.
Concerns have intensified following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor and opposition figure Ekrem İmamoğlu earlier this year, along with continued pressure on the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Human Rights Watch also reported that around 200 people were detained ahead of the NATO summit, raising fresh concerns over civil liberties and political freedoms in Turkey.
The meeting also revives memories of the 2021 “sofagate” incident, when von der Leyen was left without an equal seat during talks with Erdoğan in Ankara. European Commission officials said the leaders are expected to meet around a standard dinner table for Wednesday’s discussions.
