BRUSSELS: The EU warned Turkey on Monday that its economy could be harmed if growing tensions with the bloc, and especially with Germany, get out of hand.
On the eve of talks in Brussels with senior Turkish officials, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn warned the country that is a candidate to join the bloc is “slipping away from European values.”
“I am always concerned if there is an increase of tension between one of our member states or some member states with neighboring countries. I think Turkey should understand the reasons for that and address it,” Hahn told reporters.
“We are in the middle of the tourism season; this is certainly not conducive to invite people to come and go there,” he said.
“The same applies for investment in the country, if the situation seems to be still very shaky, very unclear, very fragile.”
Hahn and EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini will meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkish EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik on Tuesday amid increasingly sharp exchanges over Ankara’s rights record and a crackdown after last year’s failed coup.
Relations between Germany and Turkey in particular are at rock bottom, with the two NATO partners at odds over the arrest of several German nationals as part of the crackdown, and over access of German officials to a NATO base.
Turkey and the EU began formal membership talks in 2005 after years of foot-dragging by EU member states wary of admitting such a large Muslim country.
Progress remained slow and the negotiations came to a virtual halt last year as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rounded up opponents in a massive crackdown following a failed coup.
Some EU member states, led by Austria, want the talks to be suspended outright, and there have been similar calls in Germany as the crisis with Turkey deepens.
EU warns Turkey's economy at risk in Germany row
EU warns Turkey's economy at risk in Germany row
Zelensky wants to replace Ukraine’s defense minister
- President has offered the position to his current minister of digital transformation, who is aged just 34
- No explanation was given for his decision to replace Denys Shmygal
KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said he intended to replace his defense minister and had offered the position to his current minister of digital transformation, who is aged just 34.
“I have decided to change the structure of the Ukrainian ministry of defense,” Zelensky said in his daily address broadcast on social media. “I have offered Mikhailo Fedorov the position of new Ukrainian defense minister.”
Fedorov, who has been digital transformation minister since 2019, is a relative political novice little-known to the Ukrainian public.
“Mykhailo is deeply involved in issues related to drones and is very effective in the digitalization of state services and processes,” Zelensky added.
Without explaining his decision to replace Denys Shmygal, the Ukrainian leader said he had proposed the incumbent “head another area of government work that is no less important for our stability.”
Zelensky had tapped Shmygal as defense minister just half a year ago, in July 2025.
Besides the turnover at the defense ministry, Zelensky also named Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to head his presidential office.
Budanov replaces Andriy Yermak, who was among Ukraine’s most powerful people before being engulfed in a corruption scandal dogging some of Zelensky’s former allies.
