Helsinki: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday emphasized Turkey's aspiration to join a European Union defence initiative, highlighting the nation's significant role as a security provider for the EU. Turkey seeks membership in the 150-billion-euro ($176-billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a program designed to bolster European defence capabilities.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Fidan reaffirmed Turkey's stance during a meeting with his Finnish counterpart in Helsinki. He stated, "Turkey is a NATO ally who provides critical contribution to Europe's security and in this framework," stressing the importance of Turkey's inclusion in EU defence and security initiatives, particularly the SAFE mechanism.
Despite Turkey's technical eligibility for the SAFE initiative, its accession requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, a process complicated by Greece's threat to veto. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed her support for Turkey's participation in the defence scheme, advocating for "equal terms in defence industry cooperation, which we strongly need at this moment."
A source from the Turkish defence ministry indicated that Ankara is hopeful for Germany's assistance to facilitate Turkey's entry into the EU defence scheme, despite the opposition from Greece.