European Parliament calls for Ankara’s stronger role in Yerevan–Baku normalization

By Alexander Pracht

The European Parliament adopted a new report on Turkey during a plenary session on Wednesday, expressing support for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey and urging Ankara to play a more decisive role in advancing peace in the South Caucasus. The vote passed with 367 in favor, 74 against, and 188 abstentions, according to Armenia’s state news agency Armenpress.

The report highlighted both Turkey's domestic shortcomings and its regional responsibilities. It was previously approved by the Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. It also commended efforts to establish ties between Armenia and Turkey, emphasizing reconciliation, good-neighborly relations, regional stability, and socio-economic development. 

While it praised the progress achieved so far, it urged Ankara to accelerate implementation of agreements reached between the countries’ special envoys in 2022. These include the reopening of land borders to third-country nationals and restoring rail connection for trade.

European lawmakers expressed hope that these developments would encourage further normalization across the South Caucasus, contributing to regional security and economic growth. 

On Azerbaijan, the document called on Ankara to use its influence over Baku to prevent any further military action against Armenia’s sovereignty.

Additionally, it demanded that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide, calling it a vital step toward genuine reconciliation between the two nations. It further urged Ankara to fully respect its commitments to preserve Armenian cultural heritage.

The report also touched upon Turkey’s potential EU accession. Though it reaffirmed the country’s formal status as a candidate for membership, it noted that negotiations have been effectively frozen since 2018 due to serious concerns about the erosion of democracy, rule of law, and human rights. Turkey is the longest-waiting state with candidate status – it applied to join the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the EU, in 1987, with little progress so far.

“Despite Turkey’s declared commitment to EU integration, progress on aligning with core EU values remains limited,” the document said, pointing to continued concerns over judicial independence, freedom of expression, and protection of fundamental rights.

On top of that, the European Parliament criticized Turkey for ignoring rulings by the European Court of Human Rights and highlighted worrying trends in freedom of speech and gender equality. It pointed out that Turkey has the highest incarceration rate among Council of Europe countries and condemned the misuse of counterterrorism laws to silence opposition and civil society.

Finally, the unresolved Cyprus issue remains a major obstacle in EU–Turkey relations, the report said. Turkey has occupied about 40% of the island’s territory since invading the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, backed at the time by Greece and the United Kingdom, in 1974, claiming to protect the rights of local ethnic Turks and establishing a self-declared puppet administration. The Republic of Cyprus, recognized globally as the only legitimate state on the island, joined the EU in 2004, further complicating Turkey’s membership prospects.

While reports and resolutions adopted by the European Parliament are non-binding and do not define the European Union’s official foreign policy, they contribute to the broader political discourse within the EU. Such deliberations can influence public debate and may inform future decisions at the executive level, including by the European Commission and the European Council.