Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for improved ties with the European Union, saying after the visit to Ankara of EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen that he believed there was a desire on both sides to restart a high-level political dialogue between Turkey and the bloc. Fidan added that it was time to get back to a more fruitful relationship after years of tensions, calling for a return to a "pre-Sarkozy" era – a reference to former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, in power from 2007 to 2012, who firmly opposed Turkey's membership of the EU.
