The panel session titled "A New Insight into the Balkans" concluded the Istanbul Security Forum (ISF), hosted by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications and held at the Conrad Hotel on May 2-3.
Author and the analyst Paul E. M. Reynolds, and former European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle spoke during the panel session moderated by the Chairman of the Centre for Strategic Research Ambassador Hasan Ulusoy.
Reynolds said that the Balkans are viewed as a region to pass through on the way to another location and emphasised that in the past, wars were waged there on behalf of others.
Reynolds emphasised that Türkiye will progressively play a more significant role in this area, pointing out that the Balkans will also be affected by the timing of the end of the war in Ukraine.
Noting that when the Nord Stream energy flow was disrupted, the energy flow to Europe could be rerouted through Ukraine or Türkiye, Reynolds said, "Türkiye is important because there are two gas sources going to the south of Europe. One of them comes from Azerbaijan and Türkiye, in the south, while the other is from Russia. Türkiye has put itself in an incredibly advantageous position. New hydrocarbon discoveries made by Türkiye in the southeast will also have an effect."
Reynolds emphasised that Türkiye is a member of NATO and has established positive relations with the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Middle Eastern countries, and Southeast European countries, adding that "Türkiye has and will continue to play an extremely significant role."
"The EU needs a new enlargement approach"
Former EU Commissioner Füle commented on the EU's enlargement policy, saying, "First, we should call attention to the EU's readiness for accepting new members, not the candidate countries' compliance with the EU. This is necessary for members to become effective. The EU is actively seeking new members, despite the moment's seeming reluctance."
Noting that the first thing to be done in the EU is for the member states to be absolutely transparent, straightforward, and express whatever is necessary and what they think, Füle said, "Second, the EU needs a new enlargement approach. Third, a new political platform for Europe needs to be developed."