EU Commission head meets Turkish president to discuss relations, Gaza

ISTANBUL

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday to discuss Türkiye-EU relations and Israel's attacks on Palestine.

“The meeting addressed the Türkiye-European Union relations and Israel's attacks on Palestine," Türkiye's Communications Directorate wrote on X.

They met on the sidelines of the fifth European Political Community Summit in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

"A stronger EU-Türkiye partnership will benefit our shared region. We can champion peace, prosperity, and security across borders," Von der Leyen wrote on X. She added that such an alliance would bring advantages not only at the diplomatic level but also for the people of both regions.

European leaders gathered in Budapest for the fifth European Political Community (EPC) summit, where they discussed global issues, including Ukraine and the Middle East.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is hosting the meeting, which will also address irregular migration and issues related to Europe’s economic security.

Officials from EU member states and other countries are also expected to discuss EU-US relations in light of Donald Trump’s presidential election victory.

Orban and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama will hold a news conference following the meeting.

The EPC was founded in 2022.