Turkey joins Three Seas Initiative as strategic partner at 10th summit in Warsaw

Turkey became a strategic partner of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), according to the joint declaration of the 10th summit held on April 29 in Warsaw.

At the opening of the summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that Turkey and Spain would join the initiative as strategic partners, while Montenegro and Albania were confirmed as official members.

The 3SI, launched in 2015, serves as a regional platform bringing together 13 European Union countries located between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas.

Its primary objective is to enhance cross-border cooperation in energy, transport and digital infrastructure along Europe’s north-south axis.

While initially focused on EU member states, the initiative has increasingly attracted interest from key non-EU countries and strategic partners, highlighting its growing geopolitical importance amid regional tensions and global power shifts.

“This year’s summit is significant due to the current geopolitical situation and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war at Poland’s eastern border. I believe the inclusion of new participants will enhance the efficiency of this collaboration,” Duda said during his opening remarks at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

Turkey’s accession as a strategic partner comes at a crucial time when Central and Eastern European countries are looking to diversify energy routes, upgrade transport corridors and strengthen digital infrastructure.

Turkey plays a pivotal regional role in these efforts, particularly due to its geographic position bridging Europe and Asia.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu represented Turkey at the main plenary session of the 10th 3SI Summit, which was attended by heads of state and government.

In his address, Minister Uraloğlu said the 3SI would significantly enhance regional development by establishing a robust connection corridor along the north-south axis in Eastern and Central Europe.

Uraloğlu noted that Turkey has closely followed the initiative since its inception. “Within 10 years, the Three Seas Initiative has been transformed from an ambitious idea into a transformative force for regional development and European integration. Projects like Via Carpathia and Rail Baltica reflect this shared vision,” he said.

Turkey previously attended the 9th 3SI Summit, held in Vilnius on April 11, 2024, as a special guest along with the UK, Finland, Montenegro, Spain and Israel.

Turkey’s application for strategic partnership followed that summit and was approved through the consensus of member countries at the 10th summit.

Within the 3SI, there are three levels of participation. Participating members consist solely of EU member states.

Strategic partners are countries and institutions that enhance the initiative’s goals through financial support or diplomatic prestige, including the EU Commission, the US, Germany, Japan, Turkey and Spain.

Joint participants are countries like Ukraine and Moldova that align with the initiative’s values but are not EU members.

Turkey’s involvement is expected to expand the initiative’s influence, particularly in the Black Sea region, where it wields substantial strategic weight.

One of the key projects, Via Carpathia, is a highway corridor that begins in Lithuania and extends through Eastern Europe to Greece and Turkey, illustrating how Turkish infrastructure can align with the priorities of the 3SI.

Moreover, the partnership has symbolic importance. As the EU navigates challenges related to enlargement and regional security threats, the 3SI provides an alternative platform for cooperation that does not rely on formal EU accession while still promoting European integration and strengthening transatlantic ties.

At present the initiative encompasses 143 priority projects aimed at addressing significant gaps in infrastructure across the region. Funding needs by 2030 remain substantial, with estimated requirements of €290 billion for transport, €88 billion for energy and €160 billion for telecommunications.

With Turkey now contributing to the initiative’s vision, observers expect closer ties in energy security, logistics corridors and digital innovation.