UPDATE - Türkiye expects EU to take concrete steps to improve relations: President Erdogan

ADDS STATEMENTS FROM COSTA

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL/BRUSSELS (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday that Türkiye expects the EU to take concrete steps to improve relations.

Congratulating Costa on his appointment as president of the European Council in a phone call, Erdogan said revitalizing relations between Ankara and Brussels is in the mutual interest of both sides, according to a statement on X by Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

Erdogan and Costa also discussed regional and global issues, with the Turkish president stressing that it would be beneficial and in the best interests of all parties to plan steps toward European security with Türkiye's participation.

He emphasized that a just and sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine is possible, as Ankara has been working to establish peace since the beginning of the Moscow-Kyiv war.

Erdogan also expressed Türkiye's satisfaction with the EU's decision to suspend some sanctions against Syria to help that war-torn country reconstruct.

The EU announced earlier the suspension of sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport and banking sectors to assist the country’s reconstruction after the fall of the Bashar Assad regime.

For his part, Costa said they had a "good" conversation.

"Türkiye is a strategic partner, an EU candidate country, and a NATO ally. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship," he wrote on X.

Expressing Brussels' appreciation of Ankara's role as a crucial regional and global actor "in these challenging times," he said the EU seeks to collaborate closely to secure lasting peace in Ukraine and support a democratic and inclusive transition in Syria.

“I also expressed my full support for the UN Secretary-General's efforts on the Cyprus settlement talks," Costa added.