Turkey Expects Concrete Steps Toward EU Membership

A senior Turkish official indicated today, Tuesday, that the country anticipates a revival of the EU reform group after Ankara agreed to Sweden's request to join NATO, as Turkey seeks to start a new chapter in improving relations with the West. In an interview with Reuters, the official stated, "Ankara expects the EU to make significant progress on issues such as visa-free travel," noting that "the West should support Turkey in its financial needs." He mentioned that "Turkey will develop logical relations with the United States and expects a swift resolution to some issues, although some matters may not be resolvable." He added, "Improving Turkey's relations with the West will not harm its relations with Russia."