Turkey’s Foreign Minister Has Accused the European Union of Becoming An Hostage to Southern Cyprus.

Brussels December 2025: Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly spreading across a wider geography, citing it to be “a very frightening thing”, but that the European Union’s expectations from Turkey are being “held hostage” by the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus. Fidan made this statement following the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on Ukraine in Brussels on December 03rd.

Fidan also highlighted recent attacks on ships trading with Russia in Turkey’s exclusive economic zone, claimed by Ukraine. He stated that they had also discussed Black Sea security with EU and NATO members Bulgaria and Romania, saying, “The geography of war is becoming increasingly widespread. This is a very frightening thing”.

On the same day, it was announced that Turkey had sold the TCG Akhisar corvette, which joined the Turkish Navy at the end of 2024, to Romania to strengthen its navy. The corvette, Turkey’s first warship sale to a NATO or EU member state, was reportedly sold for €265 million.

Russia-Ukraine War Is Spreading –

The final regular meeting of foreign ministers before the NATO Summit in Ankara in July took place as tensions between Russia and the EU over Ukraine escalated. While NATO ministers were meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan, stating that they did not want war with Europe but were ready for it if Europe did. Following the Brussels meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded to Putin, saying they would not back down, that they would continue providing arms aid to Ukraine and economic sanctions against Russia, and that they believed Putin would eventually make concessions.

Rutte, however, said that Russia maintains its warfighting capacity thanks to China’s support, with Iran and North Korea also providing assistance. He noted that China will possess 11 nuclear warheads by the end of the year and already possesses more warships than the US. He also suggested the scenario that if China were to attack Taiwan, Xi Jinping might ask Putin to “engage in this part of the world”.

The NATO Secretary General said that Europe should “respond” to the rapid growth of Russia’s armed forces by increasing its armament for deterrence, citing Turkey’s defence industry ecosystem, which has surpassed 3,000 companies.

This is also part of the West’s expectations from Turkey. However, Turkey is excluded from the €150 billion SAFE program within the framework of the new European security architecture due to lack of EU approval; the obstacles are Southern Cyprus and Greece, with the support of France. Foreign Minister Fidan lists Turkey’s expectations for meeting the EU’s Greek Cypriot veto, including the lifting of the suspension of political talks in 2019, the continuation of membership talks, visa facilitation, and support for Turkey’s concerns regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Gaza, and Syria.

In this environment where all parties are trying to get the most they can, the most concrete fact is that the Russia-Ukraine war is spreading in a way that will also affect Türkey.

Team Maverick.