Wait, what?! Oh my God! 😱 Now Türkiye must be absolutely terrified! The mighty Ursula von der Leyen might even threaten to kick Türkiye out of the European Union! Oh, wait… 😂 We're not even in the EU, are we? How terribly embarrassing! Of course, we did want to join. We knocked on your door for decades. But apparently, we weren't quite European enough. Never mind. We still thought we should be helpful. Millions of refugees to accommodate? Certainly! Why trouble Europe's delicate social equilibrium when Türkiye can shoulder the burden with a little financial assistance and a great deal of European gratitude? European defence needs military capabilities? Naturally! From Estonia to Spain, Turkish military capabilities have contributed to Europe's security. Membership, of course, is an entirely different matter. Let's not get carried away! A Customs Union that works rather more comfortably for European industry than for Türkiye? But of course! We wouldn't dream of disturbing such a beautifully arranged relationship. European companies and banks want access to the Turkish market? Be our guests! Our largest private bank is even under Spanish control. How much more welcoming could we possibly be? And now, after all these years of hospitality, strategic cooperation and economic accommodation, we are apparently expected to ask Brussels for permission to exercise our sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean? Oh, Madam President, how wonderfully imperial of you! And how exactly do you propose to stop us? With a stern warning from Brussels? A disapproving finger? Perhaps a French fleet? Or shall we expect a British military expedition to teach NATO's second-largest army a lesson in obedience? How fascinating! The very military capabilities Europe relies upon are apparently supposed to tremble at the sound of a Brussels press statement. A raised finger is not a fleet. A declaration of disapproval is not an instrument of coercion. And diplomatic indignation, however theatrically delivered, is no substitute for actual power. But surely there has been a misunderstanding. We offered partnership, not guardianship. We offered cooperation, not submission. And we certainly never offered Brussels a seat at the head of Türkiye's sovereign decision-making table. Our sovereignty is not a privilege granted by Brussels, nor is its exercise subject to European approval. There is, after all, a limit to modesty. Even Turkish modesty. Perhaps it is time Europe learned the difference between partnership and permission, between diplomatic rhetoric and geopolitical reality. And Madam President, do forgive us if we fail to tremble. You might wish to get used to it, afterall ... 😎