EU Council

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel extended gratitude to the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council for their collaborative efforts facilitating Bulgaria's Schengen accession. With Belgium gearing up to assume the EU Presidency, Gabriel welcomed and highlighted the six key priorities laid out by the incoming leadership.

Türkiye calls on the European Union to unconditionally start talks for the modernization of the customs union while expressing its discomfort about the postponement of the approval of a key report that draws a road map for the future ties between Ankara and Brussels at the latest EU Council summit.

In a joint letter to the European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, the top diplomats of Italy, France and Germany have called on the union to impose ad hoc sanctions against Hamas and its supporters, The Guardian has reported.

Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has underscored Türkiye's continued interest in acquiring Eurofighter jets, asserting that they remain a compelling alternative despite recent disagreements with Germany over the potential purchase.

Spain, holding the EU Presidency, remains non-committal about arranging an urgent Council meeting to vote on Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen membership.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska expressed Europe's strengthened stance with the integration of both countries but refrained from committing to a timeline, citing ongoing efforts.

Germany, a key member of the quartet consortium producing the Eurofighter Typhoon, is reportedly hesitatant to sell the advanced jets to Türkiye, citing concerns over the latter's natural gas drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean, according to sources in local media.

The European Commission has proposed to revive high-level dialogue and deepen cooperation with Türkiye in the fields of trade, migration as well as visa facilitation and upgrading customs while underlining the latter's strategic importance to the European Union as a regional power.

The road to Albania's EU membership negotiations faces an unexpected halt due to Greece's recent action, reported EurActiv. Greece has wielded its influence within the Council of the EU to obstruct the opening of the initial five chapters necessary for Albania's EU membership negotiations to commence.

Vui pointed out on his Instagram profile that he had a number of good meetings and conversations.

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The EU Council's vote last December to admit Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania into the Schengen area for free travel should have been a triumphant moment for the bloc.