EU leaders eye potential Turkey trade-off on gas, migrants

EU leaders on Thursday offered the possibility of deepening trade ties with Turkey, they told Ankara to stick to democratic norms and to avoid worsening a row over energy in the Mediterranean Sea.

“We call on Turkey to abstain from renewed provocations or unilateral actions in breach of international law,” the EU leaders said in a leaked document obtained by DW.

Aiming to reward Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for pulling back from a confrontation over gas exploration, the bloc will start preparations for a deeper customs union with Ankara, according to the draft communique.