EU to seek talks with Erdoğan at NATO summit: Merkel

BERLIN – Anadolu Agency

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said European Council President Donald Tusk will seek to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a NATO summit at the end of May.

“Tusk will consult us about this subject beforehand,” Merkel said at a press conference on April 29 after a Brexit meeting between EU countries, adding that she welcomed the decision.      

Commenting on the U.K.’s Brexit decision, Merkel said EU countries should now focus on the future shape of a 27-member EU.

Merkel said they had to assess relations with China, Turkey and the U.S. and consider their geostrategic positions, besides the Brexit decision.      

The U.K. government last month officially began the process of leaving the EU after 52 percent of British voters chose to leave the EU in a June 2016 referendum.