During his visit to Ankara on March 12, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to lead efforts for regional stability.

Erdogan emphasised Türkiye’s strategic importance to the European Union during the bilateral talks as Europe grapples with a security challenge in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s insistence that the continent beef up its own defence. 

“If the European Union wants to prevent or even reverse its loss of power and influence, it can only achieve this through Türkiye’s full membership,” Erdogan said at a joint press conference following bilateral talks with Tusk at the Presidential Complex.

Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to EU accession despite the stalled negotiation process. Türkiye has been an applicant since 1987; accession talks began in 2005 but have stalled since 2016.

International relations experts emphasise that Türkiye’s strategic role in European security extends beyond its stalled EU accession bid.

“A crucial point to consider is that Türkiye is expected to enhance Europe’s security even without full EU membership,” Dr Ozden Zeynep Oktav, head of the International Relations Department at Istanbul Medeniyet University, tells TRT World. 

“While Türkiye is expected to contribute to Europe’s security, the EU has yet to reciprocate Türkiye’s commitment. Many chapters in the accession negotiations remain unopened. For the EU to impose security-related expectations on Türkiye without advancing these talks is neither fair nor sustainable,” she says.

She also highlighted Türkiye’s evolving geopolitical influence.

“The Türkiye that Europe is engaging with today is not the Türkiye of the past. We have demonstrated our strategic importance in Syria, strengthened ties across the Turkic world, and emerged as a key player in the global energy equation. But does the EU fully grasp this transformation? I remain sceptical,” she says.

Oktav further argued that the EU’s internal divisions could complicate its approach toward Türkiye.

“Even in the face of a severe security crisis — where the EU perceives simultaneous threats from both Russia and the United States — I don’t believe this would accelerate Türkiye’s accession. The EU will likely continue to position Türkiye in a strategic limbo: neither fully inside nor entirely outside its sphere, while still assigning it vital security responsibilities,” she said.

Tusk’s visit to Ankara followed Tuesday's meeting between Ukrainian and United States officials in Saudi Arabia, where the two countries agreed on a proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire as long as Russia accepts.

Erdogan welcomed Ukraine’s willingness to accept a cease-fire and urged Russia to respond constructively. He reiterated Türkiye’s readiness to mediate peace talks, stating, “If the latest developments bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, we are prepared to facilitate discussions.”

Erdogan added: “We must bring about a just end to the war. We are ready to provide a place for peace talks and all possible assistance.”

Tusk expressed optimism about Türkiye’s potential role in fostering regional stability.

“I made a clear proposal to President Erdogan that Türkiye assumes the greatest possible responsibility in the peace process, ensuring stability and security across our region,” he said, adding that Erdogan is scheduled to visit Warsaw next month.

Echoing concerns about the EU’s approach to Türkiye, Suay Nilhan Acikalin, an associate professor and a visiting fellow at Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Hungary, highlighted Poland’s shifting role within Europe’s security landscape and its increasing alignment with Türkiye.

“Over the past five to six years, Poland has actively sought to reduce its dependence on the United States, particularly in defence and security matters. Türkiye has emerged as a crucial partner in this regard, and Poland was the first NATO country to sign a broad and comprehensive defence industry agreement with Türkiye,” Acikalin tells TRT World.

She said that Poland’s policies within the EU have evolved significantly, particularly in response to the Russo-Ukrainian war.

“Poland has argued that the EU’s unrestricted military aid to Ukraine could, in itself, create a long-term security dilemma. Understanding Poland’s recent political trajectory requires viewing it within a broader five-year framework. At the same time, we must acknowledge the growing positive momentum in Poland’s approach toward Türkiye,” she said.

Looking ahead, Acikalin predicted that Poland’s policies within the EU would continue to diverge from those of its Western European counterparts.

“Poland’s unequivocal support for Türkiye’s EU accession is significant. The increasing momentum behind Poland’s advocacy for Türkiye’s membership highlights a growing alignment between the two nations on strategic and security matters within Europe,” she said.

Tusk reinforced Poland’s support for Türkiye’s EU bid, saying: “We truly hope that Türkiye’s EU accession process is now becoming a realistic and tangible goal. We have always supported Türkiye in this regard, and we will continue to do so.”

The two leaders also discussed strengthening bilateral trade and defence cooperation. Tusk said they aim to increase trade volume to $15 billion, having already surpassed $12 billion.

Poland and Türkiye are exploring joint infrastructure projects, including a high-speed rail network. 

Tusk highlighted the importance of NATO and European cooperation in ensuring stability along the Russia-Ukraine border, particularly following any potential cease-fire. 

“Türkiye’s role could be crucial in this regard,” Tusk said.