Erdogan wants Turkey-EU summit before the end of June 

The EU-Turkey relationship continues to show its ups and downs. It is a complicated alliance that has become strained to the point of unimaginable tension, especially over hydrocarbon exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. But despite the many frictions that may exist between the two powers, both the EU and the Eurasian country are aware that they need each other in one way or another. 

EU-Turkey relations have been strained since last year. EU leaders have taken note of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's desire for normalisation, but called for 'credible gestures' and 'lasting efforts' to be discussed at a European summit on 25-26 March. 

During a video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (8 February), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his desire for a summit between Turkey and the European Union in the first half of the year. 

"The Chancellor welcomed the latest positive signals and developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. She stressed that it is now important to achieve progress on contentious issues through dialogue," her office said in a statement. 

In this regard, Merkel has urged for further progress to be made to "achieve progress on contentious issues through dialogue", German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement. 

The two leaders also discussed other topical issues, such as the coronavirus pandemic, as well as other "bilateral and international issues", although Seibert did not disclose further details on these topics. 

Germany tried in vain this summer to mediate between the parties because of its special interest in maintaining good relations with Turkey to contain immigration seeking to reach its territory and because of the three million Turks and their descendants living in the country. However, in December EU members voted to impose sanctions against Ankara for refusing to try to resolve the conflict. 

In recent months, the Eastern Mediterranean region has become a focus of tension not only with the European countries there, such as Greece and Cyprus, with which disagreements are more common, but also with others, such as France and Germany, with which they are less so. Turkish interference in the Libyan conflict, over which there is a European mission to ensure compliance with the arms embargo, has led to several clashes between the Turkish navy and the French and German navies. Since then, the rhetoric between the Turkish leader and the French president has escalated, causing a major problem within NATO and, to a lesser extent, the European Union. 

At the last summit in December, EU leaders asked Borrell and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to consider extending sanctions on Ankara depending on how Ankara's attitude evolves. Individual sanctions against officials involved in exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean were approved.  

The talks come as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to ease tensions with the European Union, which has threatened to impose sanctions on Ankara if it does not resolve the dispute with Athens, undermining Turkey's economic woes, exacerbated by the pandemic. Added to this is the uncertainty over its future relationship with the United States now that Joe Biden is president.  

The serious situation facing Turkey's economy has forced Erdogan to backtrack and put aside the frenetic rhetoric of recent months in order to seek a return to normality in relations with the European Union. 

For the time being, Turkey will continue on the path of de-escalating tensions in order to avoid further EU sanctions, although the talks do not promise to be easy. Meanwhile, Turkish officials are already preparing for a cooling of relations with the US, as the new administration is not expected to be as permissive towards Erdogan.  

European leaders are due to meet again in March, when Josep Borrell is scheduled to present a report on political, economic and trade relations between the EU and Turkey, as the EU is prepared to take a hard line with Turkey if it continues to overreach despite sanctions imposed in December. Erdogan will therefore try to show his willingness to resume good relations between Ankara and Brussels, and that the report should be as favourable as possible and prevent further actions affecting Turkish nationals and companies.