On 5 January, President Erdogan visited his French counterpart, President Macron, in what could be seen an easing of the tensions that have marked EU-Turkey relations during the last year.

In the joint press conference, President Erdogan pointed out that Turkey is “seriously tired” of waiting for EU accession. However, President Macron made clear that due to the recent developments in Turkey in the aftermath of the failed coup d’Etat and the following crackdown on political opponents in the name of the War On Terror, membership did not seem an option in the short-term.

Despite the deteriorating state of democracy and human rights in the country, and the fact that Ankara opposes any offer short of full membership, both the EU and Turkey continue to share interests in repairing their relations. In this context, Macron referred to the possibility of an EU-partnership with Turkey, as a new framework for EU-Turkey relations that would keep Turkey close to Europe without becoming an EU member.

On the occasion of the visit, Turkey has awarded a definition study contract to Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam that paves the way for the launch of a joint (Turkey, France and Italy) Long Range Air and Missile Defense Program.

The meeting in the French capital was followed by the visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to Germany on the very next day, with the aim of normalizing bilateral ties. In Cavusoglu words, “both sides have an interest in a new beginning.”