Turkey is pressing Germany for support to tap an EU defense scheme, but Greece is resisting, reigniting debate over EU‑Turkey security cooperation.
Arriving in the Turkish capital Sunday night, Merz is due to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to bandy defense, security, and migration.
Merz hopes to press Turkey to return more rejected shelter campaigners, and Berlin said the two would address bilateral and transnational policy enterprises as well as deeper collaboration on assiduity, security, and migration.
The objective is to get Germany's assistance in gaining access to the bloc's €150 billion Security for Europe (SAFE) program for Turkey, which is a NATO member but not an EU member.
According to AFP, Greece is threatening to thwart Turkey's request for the consent of all 27 EU members, even if it technically satisfies the requirements.
"During the German chancellor's visit, the SAFE mechanism and how Turkey will gain access to it will be discussed,"
said a source from the Ministry of Defense.
"In this sense, it is an important visit. Only Greece is blocking Turkey's participation in SAFE (and) Germany can play a role in overcoming this problem,"
the source added.
"It seems that this is also Germany's desire. Europe must make a decision on this issue," he concluded.
The question of "how (Turkey) will develop its defense relations" with Europe would arise if Ankara is unfit to share in the SAFE program.
Greece, an EU member, and bordering Turkey have historically been at odds over public rights in the Aegean Sea. More recently, these disputes have centered on migration and oil development.
The plan seeks to improve European defense capabilities, and Germany has hinted that it would back Turkey's wish to join.
Merz wants to get Turkey to assist in taking in more rejected asylum seekers during the talks. Merz's government was elected in May on a pledge to fight illegal migration.
According to a German source, Berlin anticipates "further concrete steps" from Ankara following some initial progress in recent months.
With almost three million members, Germany is home to the largest Turkish population outside of Turkey.
Berlin also seeks to win over Turkey, which has strong relations to the new Islamist administration in Damascus, and wants to resume deportations to Syria.
The timing of Merz's trip to Ankara coincides with his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul, visiting Syria for the first time to meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
What reasons is Greece giving for resisting Turkey's access?
Greece is defying Turkey's access to an EU defense scheme primarily because of longstanding pressures over territorial and sovereignty issues, especially related to the Aegean Sea and its islets.
Greece demands that Turkey lifts a 30- years-old 'casus belli' (beget for war), which is a literal trouble of conflict Greece claims Turkey has maintained through aggressive conduct similar as planting military tackle on the disputed islets and attempt to settle queried homes through artificial agreement and legal controversies.
Greece's government asserts that until Turkey provides guarantees to lessen these pressures and felicitations transnational agreements, it can not support Turkey's participation in the EU defense fund. Greece also criticizes Turkey for its unilateral maritime claims and military conditioning, including recent plans to emplace independent military units on its islets.