EU chiefs make rare Turkey visit to mend ties

European Union leaders on Tuesday said the bloc is ready to support a positive agenda with Turkey, especially in the areas of economic cooperation and migration.

European Council President Charles Michel and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, were in a rare Ankara visit to discuss bilateral ties with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to seek a way to resolve tensions between Turkey and EU members Greece and Cyprus.

A newly-reached deal aimed at encouraging Turkey to limit the number of asylum seekers arriving in the EU through the Greek islands, close to western Turkey, has created a more positive atmosphere. But Michel said the bloc needs to see improvements in other fields from Turkey, which has long been a candidate for bloc membership.