Belgian Minister Defends Turkey as Part of European Family During Economic Mission
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot led a significant five-day economic mission to Turkey, involving nearly 400 participants from business, academia, and diplomacy. The mission, initially supported by Queen Mathilde, aimed to strengthen ties between Europe and Turkey. Prévot described the visit as the largest economic mission Turkey has ever hosted, emphasizing the strategic necessity of diversifying partnerships with immediate neighbors to avoid dependence on distant geopolitical powers. He advocated for modernizing the 1996 EU-Turkey customs union and proposed a "Made with Europe" approach to integrate strategic partners while protecting European industry. Prévot strongly disagreed with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comparison of Turkey to Russia and China, asserting Turkey’s role in European security architecture. While acknowledging serious concerns regarding democracy and rule of law in Turkey, particularly following recent political arrests, he urged pragmatism over diplomatic isolation. He also contextualized Turkey’s ongoing economic ties with Russia, arguing against expecting non-EU nations to sabotage their own economies without clear reciprocal signals from Europe.
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