Ankara [Turkiye], May 5 (ANI): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged European leaders to consider Ankara's long-time bid for membership in the European Union, stating that Turkiye should not be remembered only in times of distress and sidelined otherwise.

In a post on X, Erdogan said Europe is currently at a crossroads, adding that without Turkiye, the EU cannot become a global actor or a 'centre of attraction.'

'In our relations with the European Union, the issue is not where Ankara stands; it is where Brussels wants to be in the world of the future, where it sees itself. It must now be understood that an EU without Turkey as a full member cannot be a global actor or a centre of attraction. We are not a country to be remembered only in times of distress, whose door is knocked on when needed, and otherwise sidelined; nor will we ever be. The European Union must fully appreciate the value of Turkey's constructive stance, must not squander it, and must refrain from actions and rhetoric that would jeopardise it,' Erdogan wrote on X.

He further said, 'Europe's need for Turkey exceeds Turkey's need for Europe; tomorrow, this need will only grow greater.'

The Turkish President also said that Europe must abandon its 'political and historical prejudices' towards Turkiye.

'Our hope is that decision-makers in Europe will abandon their political and historical prejudices and focus on developing sincere, genuine, and equal relations with Turkey,' he said.

Turkiye applied in 1987 to join what was then the European Economic Community, and in 1999 it was recognised as an EU candidate country. It has yet to become a member of the EU.

'In 2018, due to continuing backsliding in reforms in key areas of the enlargement process, particularly concerning the functioning of the democratic system, respect for fundamental rights, and the independence of the judiciary, the Council decided that accession negotiations had effectively come to a standstill,' the European Commission noted on its official website.

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 countries. It operates an internal (single) market that allows the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people among member states. (ANI)