Erdoğan states EU membership is no longer a priority for Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on September 17, 2026, that European Union membership is no longer a priority for Ankara. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Erdoğan remarked that Turkey has been kept in a state of waiting for 53 years, asserting that Europe has no intention of admitting the country either now or in the future.

Despite this shift in priorities, Erdoğan clarified that Turkey is not officially closing the door on the EU. He stated that the country remains open to the possibility of joining, emphasizing that whether or not the process moves forward is ultimately a matter of indifference to Ankara. The President addressed Brussels directly, warning that the European Union would be the party to suffer losses if integration does not occur, rather than Turkey itself.

This statement reflects a significant cooling of relations between Turkey and the EU, highlighting a long-standing impasse that has persisted for over half a century. Ankara continues to emphasize its autonomy while maintaining a formal stance of openness toward potential future integration, despite the lack of urgency from the Turkish government.