The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas referred to Turkey as “one of the EU's most important partners as a candidate country and major Nato ally playing a central role in European security” as on January 24 she paid a visit to Ankara and met with Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

Europe and Turkey are paying close attention to how Donald Trump’s policy towards Nato and the threat to European countries posed by Russia is unfolding at the start of his second presidency. Some analysts have observed that Turkey—which boasts the second largest land forces in Nato behind those of the US—could use its potential to strengthen European security as a bargaining chip that would help progress its decades-old bid to join the EU, should Trump’s moves on these issues threaten to diminish Europe’s security.

Kallas, who served as the first female prime minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024, praised the collaboration between Turkey and the EU on a wide range of issues from trade to innovation to the fight against terrorism. She talked of “stronger than ever economic cooperation.”

Turkey is also seeking an updated customs union with Brussels that would boost its trade. Europe is the country’s most important export market.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during Kallas’ visit that Turkey expects the European bloc to offer a brand new vision that will strengthen Turkey’s EU membership process, which has made no progress for several years.

“Global developments unfolding show that Türkiye-EU cooperation is important. The bloc should have an approach without any prejudices toward Türkiye, which would benefit us both,” Fidan told reporters at a joint news conference with Kallas.

Europe and Turkey do not see eye to eye on issues including basic human rights, the rule of law, visa liberalisation, the divided island of Cyprus and rival Turkish and Greek claims to territory and energy resources in the Mediterranean.

Fidan remarked: “Identity politics to win more votes replaced rational foreign policy in Europe and this put an end to our EU membership process that is based on merit.” He argued that the EU should push past such politics and “use rationality”.

Turkey and the EU should organise high-level sectoral meetings and the Partnership Council meetings should be revived, Fidan added, saying the two sides should make use of permanent consultation mechanisms.

Turkey, meanwhile, is redoubling its diplomatic efforts to restart energy negotiations with the European Union. It is ambitious to become a regional gas hub that will trans-ship gas supplies from a range of gas-rich countries, including Russia and Azerbaijan to EU member states. Turkmen and Iranian gas could also feature in future arrangements, together with regasified and piped liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Middle East.

In comments to Politico on January 27, Turkey's EU ambassador, Faruk Kaymakci, said energy cooperation would be front and centre on Ankara’s agenda as part of a planned thawing of relations that would include trade talks and political cooperation on conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

"We have the Southern Gas Corridor," said Kaymakci. "We have 18 billion cubic metres of gas, coming mainly from Azerbaijan — and we can easily expand this, connecting it to Mediterranean gas. Our role is there, our potential is there."