Turkey is acting with a strategic perspective towards full EU membership, the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart on Thursday.
Erdogan underlined the need to revitalize Turkey’s accession process during his meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Hungary’s capital Budapest, where he attended the European Political Community Summit, according to Turkey’s Communications Directorate.
He conveyed Ankara’s expectation that the EU should update its Customs Union with Turkey and advance visa liberalization for Turkish nationals.
The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues.
Pointing to the “deep-rooted history” between Ankara and Paris, Erdogan underlined that advancing commercial and economic relations would be mutually beneficial for both countries.
“President Erdogan stated that it is in the interest of all countries to resolve tensions such as those between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and Israel and Lebanon through peaceful diplomacy,” the Directorate added.