Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides accused former European Council president Charles Michel of “double standards” after Michel criticised European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen over comments about Turkey’s relations with Europe.
Christodoulides responds to Michel’s post
Christodoulides wrote on social media that, “Dear Charles, since you are talking about double standards, let me remind you that Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, and still occupies European territory.”
His post responded to Michel’s statement describing Turkey as “a core Nato ally, a key migration partner, an energy corridor, a major defence actor on Europe’s flank, and a serious regional power.”
Michel said, “Europe doesn’t get stronger by applying double standards or simplifying reality.”
Von der Leyen remarks and subsequent clarification
Von der Leyen said at an event held by German newspaper Die Zeit on Sunday that “we must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Turkey, or China.” She added, “We must think bigger and geopolitically.”
The comments drew criticism after von der Leyen appeared to list Turkey, an EU candidate country, as an adversary of the bloc. On Tuesday, commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho sought to clarify the remarks at a press conference.
Pinho said, “The president referred to Turkey, and what was said here is, of course, that Turkey, precisely as a candidate country, also has an additional responsibility in the neighbourhood and we do not oversee that influence that it has in the neighbourhood.”
Criticism from European Parliament rapporteur
The clarification did not convince all critics. European Parliament rapporteur on Turkey Nacho Sanchez Amor described von der Leyen’s comments as “totally inconsistent with recurrent signals for stronger cooperation on security and defence and … a geopolitically flawed analysis”.
Previous tensions between Michel and von der Leyen
The latest exchange is not the first time Michel and von der Leyen have clashed over relations with Turkey. In 2021, a diplomatic protocol incident known as “sofagate” strained relations between von der Leyen and Michel, and between von der Leyen and Turkey.
How do you assess the impact of these exchanges on EU relations with Turkey?
