EU Rapporteur Slams Von der Leyen for Grouping Türkiye with Russia and China in ‘Geopolitically Flawed’ Analysis

Nacho Sánchez Amor slams Ursula von der Leyen for grouping Türkiye with Russia and China, calling the analysis "geopolitically flawed" and "inconsistent."

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 23, 2026, 10:46 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

A Clash of Geopolitical Narratives

A significant diplomatic rift has emerged within the European Union's leadership regarding the strategic positioning of Türkiye. On Tuesday, Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Türkiye, took to social media to criticize Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent characterization of the country. Sánchez Amor argued that placing Türkiye—a long-standing NATO ally and EU candidate—in the same category as Russia and China is not only a "geopolitically flawed analysis" but also undermines the recurrent signals for deeper cooperation on security and defense that have defined the Euro-Turkish relationship in early 2026.

The Context of Von der Leyen’s Speech

The controversy stems from remarks made by von der Leyen on Monday in Hamburg during an event celebrating the 80th anniversary of the newspaper Die Zeit. While expressing her firm support for the enlargement of the European Union, the Commission President stated: "We must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China." This phrasing suggests that von der Leyen views Türkiye as an external actor whose influence must be mitigated through EU expansion, rather than a partner that is part of the "completed" European project.

Inconsistency with Security Cooperation

Sánchez Amor’s critique highlights a perceived lack of coherence in the European Commission's foreign policy messaging. He noted that while the EU frequently calls for Türkiye to play a more active role in regional security and defense frameworks—particularly given its strategic importance on the southern flank—official rhetoric sometimes reverts to viewing Ankara as a systemic rival. This inconsistency, according to the Rapporteur, complicates the delicate diplomatic balancing act required to manage shared interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and the ongoing regional conflicts.