Von der Leyen’s slip-up: equating Turkey with Russia and China sparks diplomatic tremors

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s speech at the 80th anniversary celebration of the German newspaper Die Zeit in Hamburg on 20 April was intended to champion EU enlargement as a bold geopolitical strategy. Instead, one sentence has ignited a diplomatic firestorm with Turkey, a key NATO ally and EU candidate country.

Speaking on Monday, von der Leyen declared that the EU “must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Turkey or China.” She urged Europe to “think bigger and more geopolitically,” arguing that the old model of relying on cheap Russian energy, low-cost Chinese labor, and American security guarantees had run its course. Europe, she insisted, must now reposition itself toward greater independence.

The phrasing, placing NATO member and EU accession candidate Turkey in the same category as strategic rivals Russia and China, immediately drew sharp attention from Turkish media, particularly the state-run Anadolu Agency. What was meant as a call for deeper European integration in the Western Balkans and beyond quickly morphed into a perceived slight against Ankara, highlighting the EU’s persistent struggle to balance enlargement ambitions with the realities of a multipolar world.

Damage control in Brussels

By Tuesday, the European Commission was already walking back the implications. Spokesperson Paula Pinho, responding directly to questions from Anadolu Agency, stressed that the remarks were not an attempt to equate Turkey with Russia or China. “What was said here is, of course, that Turkey, precisely as a candidate country, also has an additional responsibility in the neighborhood, and we do not oversee the influence that it has in the neighborhood,” she explained. Pinho clarified that the reference was specifically tied to the Western Balkans, where the EU expects Ankara to act in line with European values. Turkey’s mention, she added in follow-up comments, reflected recognition of its “geopolitical clout, size and ambitions” rather than any hostile comparison.

This rapid clarification underscores Brussels’ awareness of the sensitivity. Turkey remains a vital partner on multiple fronts: migration management, Black Sea security, energy transit, and regional stability. Yet the episode reveals an underlying unease in EU circles about Turkey’s independent foreign policy, especially at a time when some voices within Ankara are openly exploring alternatives to traditional Western alignments.

The controversy gains extra context from recent moves by Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In March, MHP Deputy Chairperson İlyas Topsakal traveled to Moscow at the behest of party leader Devlet Bahçeli to promote a potential Turkey-Russia-China alignment. Topsakal described the initiative as a counter to what the party calls a “U.S.-Israel evil coalition,” framing it as a strategic program of cooperation across security, economics, and Eurasian integration. While not official government policy, the push reflects growing nationalist currents in Turkey that question over-reliance on the West and see value in hedging toward Eastern powers. Such signals inevitably heighten European anxieties about influence in the shared neighborhood.

Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos takes the opposite stance

At almost the same moment von der Leyen was speaking in Hamburg, another senior EU figure was delivering a markedly different message in Brussels. European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Marta Kos addressed the European Parliament, emphasising Turkey’s strategic centrality in the evolving geopolitical landscape.

“We need Turkey in light of the changing geopolitical realities in Europe and the Middle East,” Kos declared. She highlighted that Turkey is the EU’s fifth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade volume twice that of the bloc’s dealings with Mercosur or India. Its role as a gateway for routes between Europe and Asia makes it indispensable for supply chain resilience. Kos also pointed to Turkey’s military weight, NATO’s second-largest army, and its potential contribution to any future peace arrangement in Ukraine, particularly in shaping the new security environment in the Black Sea region.

Kos’s remarks were not mere politeness. She referenced her recent visit to Ankara, where discussions focused on reducing trade barriers and modernizing the customs union. While noting expectations for Turkish steps on issues like Cyprus, she underscored the mutual benefits of deeper connectivity through the South Caucasus. Trade volumes along routes involving Turkey and the region have already quadrupled since 2022, and with targeted investments, they could triple again by 2030. These links, she argued, could help Europe reduce strategic dependencies and forge stronger ties with Central Asia.

The contrast between von der Leyen’s Hamburg warning and Kos’s parliamentary assessment could hardly be starker. One framed Turkey as a potential external influence to be countered through enlargement; the other portrayed it as an essential partner whose cooperation is vital for Europe’s economic and security future.

European Parliament rapporteur for Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, was quick to voice criticism of the Commission President’s framing. On X, he described the grouping of Turkey with Russia and China as “geopolitically flawed” and inconsistent with repeated EU signals favoring stronger security and defense cooperation with Ankara. His intervention reflects a view held by many in the European Parliament that pragmatic engagement with Turkey serves European interests better than rhetorical distancing.

The episode comes against a backdrop of stalled accession talks, disputes over Cyprus, migration deals, and differing approaches to regional conflicts. Turkey’s assertive foreign policy- from its role in Syria and Libya to its balancing act between Russia and the West – often frustrates Brussels. Yet geography, economics, and shared security threats make outright estrangement impractical.

Von der Leyen’s gaffe has forced officials to reaffirm Ankara’s importance even while advancing enlargement as a tool to shape the continent. Whether this awkward clarification smooths tensions or merely papers over deeper divergences remains to be seen.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, Daily Sabah, Bloomberg

Caption: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives for round table discussion on energy during the European Commission College meeting at the Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 22 April 2026. The talks address the ‘AccelerateEU’ initiative in the context of a renewed energy crisis triggered by the Iran conflict and disruptions to global oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the European Commission. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET