The European Union must fulfill its part of the obligation to which it committed in the 2016 refugee deal with Türkiye, the Slovenian president said in Türkiye on Tuesday.

Addressing Turkish envoys at the 13th Ambassadors Conference in the capital Ankara, Pahor added: "The world is much more interconnected and interdependent, it is globalized. It is in our strategic interest to avoid a new bloc division of the world, any new Cold War."

Pahor also commended ties with Türkiye, saying: "Relations between the two countries are growing stronger every year."

In March 2016, Ankara and Brussels signed an agreement to reduce the number of migrants taking the dangerous Aegean Sea route to Europe and find a solution for the influx of migrants heading to EU countries. According to the deal, Türkiye was promised 6 billion euros ($7.30 billion) in financial aid. It was initially designed to be given to the country in two stages and used by the Turkish government to finance projects for Syrian migrants. Visa freedom for Turkish citizens was also part of the agreement. In addition, the EU-Turkey Customs Union was to be updated.

In exchange for these promises, Türkiye took responsibility for discouraging migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of Syrian migrants living in the country. Despite significant developments controlling migration traffic, Türkiye has frequently noted that the EU has not fully delivered on its commitments stated in the deal and criticized the international community for its indifference to the migrant crisis.

Pahor also saluted Türkiye's "mediating role between Russia and Ukraine," adding that it is "valuable that it is not pushing for peace at any price, but is endeavoring to solve those problems that alleviate the tragedies of the Ukrainian people and the problems of people everywhere in the world."

He also thanked Ankara for reaching a landmark grain export deal with the United Nations, Russia, and Ukraine.

On July 22, Türkiye, the United Nations, Russia, and Ukraine signed the landmark deal to reopen three Ukrainian ports for grain that had long been stuck due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which is now in its sixth month.

A team from the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, with representatives from all four sides, inspects each ship before it departs for its destination.

Russia's war on Ukraine "has fundamentally undermined the already fragile trust between the West and Russia," the Slovenian president said.

"The decision of (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin to attack Ukraine was a surprise and disappointment," adding that "Russia's aggression on Ukraine" damaged "the fragile trust" between the West and Moscow.

Mentioning the "good relations" Slovenia and Russia enjoyed for over 15 years until the start of the war this Feb. 24, Pahor said his country "never felt threatened by Russia," while "Eastern European friends have always described Russia as a direct or indirect threat to their security."

However, he said the war changed everything. Stating that "rational reasons" spoke against Putin's decision on Ukraine, Pahor said he is now "very cautious" about his predictions of the course of events.

‘New division in Europe'

Pahor added that "a new solid trust" between Western states and Russia cannot be built "without a very strong change in the policy of Moscow."

"The war in Ukraine will bring about a new bloc division of Europe and the world without the cessation of the war and a peaceful settlement of the conflict, which is unlikely," he added.

The Slovenian leader said that with the current situation caused by the war, "a new bloc division seems almost inevitable."

He added: "In the new geopolitical division, the Western Balkans will be part of the Western world. But this depends on Brussels as much as on the countries of the Western Balkans."

"The border between the two blocs is already being drawn. However, it is far from being definitive. This may be one of the reasons for the prolongation of the war in Ukraine," he added.

He also said: "Within the newly emerging Russian sphere of influence, there is no room for countries applying for EU and NATO membership."

Therefore, "the longer the EU enlargement process takes, the more these countries will be exposed to Russian appetites, or at least to increasing Russian influence," Pahor said, stressing Bosnia and Herzegovina's "vital" importance.

He added: "I'm trying to do whatever it takes in my power to convince the EU and the West to admit it (Bosnia and Herzegovina) to the EU on a fast-track procedure and if possible, also to NATO."

For his part, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu cited the two countries growing relations to the "strategic partnership level" in 2011 and added: "On the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, we continue to develop our relations with Slovenia."

"The aim of both countries is to establish and maintain stability, security, and prosperity in our region," Çavuşoğlu said.

The minister also said global stability is under threat in many respects.

"Organized crime, in particular terrorism, continues to be the leading threat to regional and global security, and stability. Irregular migration is a reality of our geography and even for the world today, and stands as a test before us," Çavuşoğlu added.

Foreign and Interior ministries will continue their cooperation, he stressed, noting: "Türkiye's responsibility is not only for itself. We will continue to contribute to the security and stability of our region, including the security of Europe."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor will hold talks in Türkiye's capital Ankara on Wednesday.

"All aspects of the Türkiye-Slovenia relations will be reviewed and potential steps aimed at further enhancing the cooperation between the two countries will be discussed," the Turkish presidency said in a statement on Tuesday.

Erdoğan and Pahor will also exchange views on Türkiye's EU membership process, as well as current regional and international issues, with a particular focus on the Balkans.

Following its declaration of independence on June 25, 1991, Türkiye recognized the Republic of Slovenia on Feb. 6, 1992. Subsequently, the Turkish Embassy in Ljubljana became operational on April 1, 1993, and Slovenia followed suit by opening its embassy in Ankara in September 1996.

Since the establishment of the Republic of Slovenia, bilateral relations between the two countries have developed positively and within a rich diversity. The favorable relations took a step further with the signing of the document of Strategic Partnership between Türkiye and Slovenia on March 3, 2011, in Ankara, during the official visit of the then Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor to Türkiye.

Another factor that contributes to the relations between the two strategic partners is the frequent high-level visits. Most recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a successful official visit to Slovenia on March 30, 2015.