Turkey hopes to secure Berlin’s help to access an EU defense scheme despite Greek opposition, a Turkish defense source said Thursday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Ankara.
Merz, who flew in late Wednesday, was to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Turkish capital, with talks expected to focus on defense, security and migration, sources on both sides said.
Berlin has said the pair will discuss bilateral and foreign policy issues as well as closer cooperation on migration, security and business, with Merz hoping to press Turkey to take back more rejected asylum seekers.
For Turkey, which is a member of NATO but not the EU, the aim is to secure German help in accessing the bloc’s 150 billion euro ($176-billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.
Although Turkey is technically eligible, it requires approval from all 27 EU members — a move that Greece has threatened to block.
“During the German chancellor’s visit, the SAFE mechanism will be discussed and how Turkey will access it,” a defense ministry source said.
“This is an important visit in that sense. There’s only Greece blocking Turkey’s participation in SAFE, [and] Germany could play a role in overcoming this,” the source said.
“It seems this is also what Germany wants. Europe needs to decide on this issue.”
If Ankara is not able to access the SAFE initiative, the question will be “how will [Turkey] develop defense relations” with Europe.
In July Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Athens would not let Turkey take part in the defense scheme if it continued to threaten war against Greece and question its sovereignty in the Aegean
There are historic tensions between EU member Greece and neighboring Turkey over sovereignty rights in the Aegean Sea and, more recently, over energy exploration and migration.
Germany has signaled possible support for Turkey’s desire to access the scheme which is aimed at strengthening European defense capabilities.
During the talks, Merz — whose government took office in May promising a crackdown on irregular migration — wants to secure Turkey’s help in taking back more rejected asylum seekers.
After initial progress in recent months, Berlin is looking for “further concrete steps” from Ankara, a German source said.
Germany is home to the largest Turkish community outside of Turkey, numbering some 3 million people.
Berlin is also looking to resume deportations to Syria and is hoping to secure support from Turkey, which has close ties to the new Islamist-led government in Damascus.
Merz’s visit to Ankara comes as his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, makes his first visit to Syria, where he will meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
© Agence France-Presse