Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Europe‘s security is about the whole of Europe, not just EU members, and reiterated that plans for European security should include Turkey. He also called for Turkish defence industries not to be excluded from European Union procurement programs.

The Turkish president today participated in a teleconference of the leaders of the non-member partner countries of the European Union. In addition to Tayyip Erdogan, the teleconference was attended by the heads of the EU institutions and the leaders of the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway and Iceland.

Stressing that it is in the common interest to plan all steps concerning European security together with Turkey, President Erdogan said: “Let us not forget that European security is not a matter for the members of the Union, but for all European allies. We would like to see today’s meeting as a manifestation of this realistic approach, as well as the Summit hosted by the UK on 2 March.”

At the same time, he added that “it is important for us to participate in mechanisms such as the European Peace Facility, which are aimed at rebuilding and supporting Ukraine.”

He also argued that there is no explanation for Turkey’s exclusion from the European Union’s defense procurement and reconstruction programs, not commenting , of course, on the contradicting fact that in a move similar to the Russian invasion to Ukraine, Turkey invaded and still occupies one third of Cyprus, a member of the EU.