EU clarifies von der Leyen's Turkey remarks

The European Commission has issued a clarification regarding recent comments by President Ursula von der Leyen about Turkey. The Commission stated that the mention of Turkey was intended as a recognition of its geopolitical clout, size, and ambitions, particularly in the Western Balkans. It emphasized the remark was not meant as a comparison with any other country. This clarification follows von der Leyen's earlier warning about the need to complete the European continent to prevent external influence from nations including Russia, Turkey, and China.