Accession of Turkey to the European Union

But, after Von der Leyen's "Erm, what about me?" moment, the EU Commission Spokesperson Eric Manner declared that the incident had "sharpened her focus on women's rights' issues".

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged two visiting top European Union officials to take concrete steps to support the "positive agenda," as it aims to improve relations with the bloc, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın has said.

European Council President Charles Michel called on Turkey to keep working to resolve disputes with Greece and Cyprus over gas rights in the Mediterranean as he visited Ankara on Tuesday to discuss trade and refugees with President Tayyip Erdogan.

Nobody questions Turkey's candidacy for EU membership, said the bloc's top diplomat in Turkey on March 26 on the heels of an EU leaders' summit that tackled Turkish-EU ties.

Turkey welcomes the rhetoric in the memorandum adopted by EU leaders at a virtual summit and sincerely wishes to develop its relations with the bloc on the basis of cooperation and mutual benefit, the country's Foreign Ministry said on March 25. 

European Union leaders will discuss the coronavirus pandemic, vaccine deliveries, and the delicate state of relations with both Turkey and Russia in a virtual two-day summit starting on March 25. 

U.S. President Joe Biden will also attend the meeting to discuss transatlantic cooperation with EU leaders.

The offer of closer economic links, mixed with threats, reflects the complex relationship between Turkey, an EU candidate, and the world's largest trading bloc, which have drifted apart but are now seeking improved ties.

As European Union membership continues to be a strategic target for Turkey, updating the Customs Union will be a key step to create a positive agenda between both sides, said Turkey's trade minister on March 23. 

Ties between the EU and Turkey should focus on the fact that Europe's security is determined by the situation in Ankara, the Hungarian foreign minister said on March 22. 

"Europe's security equals to Turkey's security," Peter Szijjarto told reporters during a break from the ongoing EU foreign affairs' meeting in Brussels.

The EU will engage in talks with Turkey on outstanding issues in the region, according to the EU's foreign policy chief.

"On the eastern Mediterranean, we will pursue dialogue with Turkey on outstanding issues," Josep Borrell said in his book, European Foreign Policy in Times of COVID-19.