(MENAFN) Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged deeper engagement between the European Union and Türkiye, stressing that stronger cooperation is necessary amid shifting global dynamics. His remarks came during a joint appearance in Berlin with the leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration, where the two reviewed priorities for Nicosia’s upcoming six-month term holding the EU presidency.

Merz explained that their talks included the administration’s plans for its presidency and broader regional issues. “We also exchanged views on relations with the EU and Türkiye. Given the geopolitical situation, I emphasized the need for cooperation with Türkiye,” Merz said. He noted that he shared insights from his recent trip to Ankara, adding, “I also informed him about my recent visit to Ankara, and we discussed with the president further opportunities for closer ties between Türkiye and the European Union.”

He expressed appreciation for what he described as the Greek Cypriot Administration leader’s constructive outlook ahead of assuming the presidency, while acknowledging that he is attentive to concerns raised by Nicosia.

During his visit to Türkiye’s capital the previous month, Merz had highlighted that the world is entering what he called a “new geopolitical phase,” one shaped by intense rivalry among major powers. At that time, he encouraged renewing high-level dialogue between Europe and Türkiye and expanding collaboration in areas such as defense, trade, and energy.

Reaffirming his stance on Friday, he underscored the significance of Türkiye as an EU candidate and a key actor in Europe’s strategic environment. “Türkiye is an important NATO partner. Türkiye has played a significant role in efforts to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip,” Merz said. At the same time, he stressed that meeting the EU’s political standards remains essential for any country seeking membership.

Addressing questions about how Germany might help ease ongoing tensions between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities, Merz said that he and the Greek Cypriot leader examined a range of ideas for restoring momentum toward a settlement. “The president asked me to help. We discussed a very concrete proposal, which I received with interest. We could take a step in this direction during the (Greek) Cypriot EU presidency, and I expressed the German government's readiness to actively participate in this process,” he said.

He also welcomed the trust placed in him personally, adding, “I was also personally honored that the president emphasized Germany's role—and my personal role—in this matter. We will now try to achieve initial small steps forward in the coming weeks. I am ready to take on this task, along with my staff, to help overcome the island's division, at least in some areas, step by step,” he said.

While the Greek Cypriot leader did not publicly outline the details of his proposal, he emphasized that their administration intends to maintain a constructive stance during the presidency, striving for progress both on the Cyprus dossier and in broader European-Turkish relations. “We would like to achieve a mutually beneficial situation. I repeat, this applies both to the Cyprus issue and to European–Turkish relations. I hope we can achieve truly positive results,” Christodoulides said.

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