Turkish FM, UK counterpart discuss Europe’s security

London: Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his British counterpart David Lammy on Monday. Diplomatic sources said the two top diplomats exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and a relevant discussion on European security structure and the “role of non-EU states in maintaining the continent’s security.”

A sustainable and deterrent security architecture for the European Union is only possible with the participation of Türkiye, Fidan said last Thursday.

“The issue of Europe’s security cannot be reduced solely to the war in Ukraine. The topic of Europe’s security architecture must be addressed from a long-term and strategic perspective. In this context, a sustainable and deterrent security architecture is only possible with Türkiye’s participation,” Fidan said while addressing a joint news conference with his Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlic Radman, in Ankara.

Europe is witnessing a new era after the Trump administration repeatedly implied that the continent should not rely on the United States for its defense. There was a major fallout in Europe over the Russia-Ukraine conflict recently. French President Emmanuel Macron has long called for Europe to take more responsibility for its own defense and was the first leader to suggest that European troops could be deployed to Ukraine after a cease-fire. As the U.S. pushed Europe aside to improve ties with Russia amid the latter’s conflict with Ukraine, pro-Ukraine Europe feels the heat of changing times.

Türkiye boasts the second-largest army in NATO, whose importance heightened amid tensions between the U.S., whose president has also threatened to withdraw from the military alliance earlier and Europe. The bloc is scrambling to boost its defense expenditures after the Trump administration’s messages telling them not to rely on the U.S. military for defense.

The latest situation in Syria and bilateral relations between Türkiye and the U.K., especially cooperation in the defense sector, were also discussed.

The war between Ukraine and Russia, which completed its third year last month, continues with heavy military clashes along with ongoing diplomatic efforts for a resolution.

While Ukraine receives sustained military and economic support from the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the war could end within a month or two if Western nations cease their assistance to Kyiv.

In a recent development, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution urging an end to the war and calling for lasting peace.