Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said that his country sees its future in the European Union (EU). This was reported by the office of the Turkish leader.
According to the politician, the EU occupies a priority position on Turkey’s agenda. The most important tool that can be used at the first stage for a positive agenda in relations between Turkey and the EU, Erdogan called the renewal of the migration agreement.
The Turkish leader added that the country is ready to open a new page in relations with the EU this year. He stated the need to renew the Customs Union with the European Union, ensure a visa-free regime for Turkish citizens, as well as take steps in negotiations on the country’s membership in the EU, and restore mutual trust.
In December, the former foreign minister and representative of Turkey to the UN, Yashar Yakysh, said that the difficulty with the country’s accession to the European Union lies in the prejudices of the Europeans, as well as in difficulties with changing the country’s laws. “The prejudice did not appear in a month, its roots go back to the Ottoman past. The image of Turkey is an Ottoman state carrying the flag of Islam to Europe, hence the negative attitude, ” Yakysh said.
