Hello and welcome to the latest episode of Unpacking Europe, the Centre for European

Reforms podcast. My name is Thomas Maddock and I'm the C.R's Clara Marina O'Donnell Fellow for

2025 to 26. And in today's episode, we're going to be taking a look at one of the EU's most

crucial relationships and one that has been getting particular interest in recent months. The EU And in today's episode, we're going to be taking a look at one of the EU's most crucial

relationships and one that has been getting particular interest in recent months, the EU's

relationship with Turkey. In February, the EU's enlargement commissioner, Martha Kos, traveled to

Ankara to meet with various Turkish officials, including the Turkish foreign minister,

Hakkan Zidan. The meetings explored the various opportunities for a deeper relationship,

economic ties and modernizing the customs union, as well as security and regional matters.

After all, both the EU and Turkey face differing threats from Russia. But in several areas,

the relationship remains held back by mutual lack of trust. Key sticking points in the relationship

currently include that a political solution to the Cyprus question remains elusive.

There have been maritime disputes over the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey's stalled EU accession process remains a sore spot.

Turkey remains a candidate country for EU membership.

Talks have been effectively on ice since 2018.

Democratic backsliding and the targeting of political opponents

in Turkey have also raised questions about the direction of the political system. What about foreign

policy? Though both Turkey and most EU member states are members of NATO, both sides have diverged

significantly on some questions. Ankara has sought to engage Moscow, triggering a backlash in some EU capitals,

even if Turkey's support to Ukraine has been crucial. There have been some perceived double

standards in the EU's Israel-Palestine policy that have also been a source of contention.

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