Turkish foreign minister plans to attend EU meeting in Brussels, spokesperson says

FILE PHOTO: Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan talks during a joint news conference with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (not pictured) in Istanbul, Turkey, July 14, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a meeting of European Union ministers in Brussels next week that Ankara hopes will pave the way for improved ties with the bloc, the ministry's spokesperson said on Thursday.

EU candidate Turkey's ties with the bloc have been rocky in recent years. Its bid to join the EU has long been frozen due to EU concerns over its record on human rights and differences over regional policies, namely in the eastern Mediterranean and over the ethnically-split island of Cyprus. However, the bloc depends on NATO member Turkey's help, particularly on migration.