EU defense partnerships risk undermining democratic values by engaging deeply with authoritarian Turkey through joint military procurement schemes.
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The European Union is prioritizing defense and is willing to form agreements with non-member countries, but deeper defense procurement partnerships risk undermining the EU’s ability to uphold democratic principles and human rights abroad, particularly towards problematic nations like Turkey. Despite growing authoritarian tendencies under President Erdogan, common defense procurements could soften the EU’s stance against Turkey. A mechanism called Safe within the ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 plan allows member states to receive financial support for joint defense purchases with other EU members, EEA countries, or Ukraine, and also through agreements with “like-minded” or third countries. Turkey is a candidate country in this context and has significantly improved its defense industry, establishing deep bilateral ties with EU nations through exports and joint ventures, such as the Leonardo-Baykar drone project and participation in Sky Shield. Turkey is well-positioned to strengthen these ties, leading the EU to appear willing to overlook Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism for security benefits. However, these procurement deals create a dependency on the Turkish market that weakens the EU’s leverage against its authoritarian tendencies. Experts suggest this dynamic represents Realpolitik, as defense cooperation does not equate to a path toward EU membership, which requires democratic adherence without shortcuts. Ultimately, the challenge remains how an increasingly dependent EU can balance its values with perceived security needs.
