UPDATE - Türkiye urges EU to avoid 'identity politics'

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER; ADDS QUOTES FROM HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's foreign minister said on Thursday that the EU should adopt a strategic mindset and move away from employing "identity politics" in its dealings with Türkiye.

“EU needs to think strategically, end identity politics in its approach to Türkiye,” Hakan Fidan said at a news conference with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Noting that Hungary will assume the EU presidency as of July 1 in the second half of the year, Fidan said that Türkiye hopes that Hungary would make progress on issues such as the update of the Customs Union during its EU presidency and visa liberalization.

“We continue to rely on Hungary's valuable contributions and support in overcoming obstacles to our EU membership and enhancing our relations with the EU,” he added.

Fidan also said that Türkiye-Europe ties should not “fall victim to the political calculations of certain countries.”

“Ultimately, we expect the EU to adopt a more rational approach toward our membership and to embrace a stance that contributes to regional prosperity and stability,” he said.

Fidan also mentioned that his Hungarian counterpart and he had the chance to assess the events occurring in the Balkans and Ukraine.

“We expressed our desire for the swift resolution of the conflict in Ukraine through a fair peace process based on international law.

“Both Türkiye and Hungary believe in giving a chance to peace negotiations, and we have once again mutually reaffirmed this belief,” he said.

Fidan said as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Türkiye will host Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto from March 1-3.

For his part, Szijjarto thanked Türkiye for contributing to Hungary's energy security, expressing gratitude for Ankara’s role in supplying natural gas to Hungary.

He said natural gas could not be supplied to Hungary without Türkiye, calling Ankara a reliable and predictable transit partner.

"Today, in the face of the challenges looming before Europe and the EU, we cannot overcome these difficulties without cooperation with Türkiye,” he said.

He further underlined the necessity of collaboration with Türkiye for energy and economic security, underscoring the importance of the EU's need for cooperation with Türkiye.

Szijjarto also acknowledged Ankara’s support in addressing the constant pressure of irregular migration, saying: "If we cannot prevent illegal migrants from reaching Europe, we will lose Europe, and we do not want that."

He conveyed Hungary’s continuous support for Türkiye in this regard.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The country, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.