AiBotA rift has emerged in the complex relationship between the European Union and Türkiye, as the bloc continues to grapple with the consequences of its own geopolitical strategies. According to Geopolitical Analyst Sami Hamdi, the EU’s perception of Türkiye has become skewed, treating the country as a valuable security safeguard against perceived threats from Russia and the East, rather than as an equal member.
Recent customs union negotiations between the two have stalled, with the EU’s reluctance to grant Türkiye equal membership rights being cited as a major reason for the impasse. As Hamdi notes, this attitude is not limited to economic matters. During the influx of Syrian refugees, European nations asked Türkiye to host and care for these migrants, offering financial compensation in return. Such a move underscores the EU’s perception of Türkiye as a custodian of sorts, expected to maintain regional stability while shouldering the responsibility of caring for those displaced by conflicts.
The Islamophobia dimension is a particularly sensitive issue, with European nations repeatedly expressing concerns about the presence of Muslim identity in politics. When Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria was ousted, the German Foreign Minister at the time requested assurances that there would be no Islamic identity in the country’s politics. Hamdi notes that a similar narrative was used against Bosnia in the 1990s, with Izetbegovic repeatedly accused of striving to establish an Islamic jihadist state, a claim later found to be baseless.
These fears are not limited to the past, however. Today, Paris and Berlin are once again using the same bogeyman to justify their skepticism towards Türkiye’s potential membership in the EU. With 90 million Muslims, Türkiye’s presence is perceived as a potential game-changer, one that could suddenly open Europe’s borders to free migration. Such rhetoric reinforces the notion that the EU is primarily concerned with maintaining the status quo, rather than embracing Türkiye as a full and equal member of the community.
In an exclusive interview, Hamdi emphasized the complex and often strained relationship between the EU and Türkiye, with the former’s expectations and perceptions of the latter driving much of the tension. As talks between the two nations continue to stall, it remains to be seen whether the EU will be willing to revisit its stance on Türkiye’s membership and treat the country as an equal partner, rather than a security guardian.