Von der Leyen: One billion for refugees – Türkiye and the EU in solidarity!

Von der Leyen: One billion for refugees – Türkiye and the EU in solidarity!

In a crucial meeting in Ankara, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the current situation in Syria and support for refugees. An additional billion euros was announced for refugees in Turkey. This money will be used, among other things, for health care, education and the voluntary return of Syrian refugees. Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, almost ten billion euros have already flowed from the EU to support Syrian refugees in Turkey, as von der Leyen emphasized and Vienna.at reported.

Important steps for stability

The meeting took place under the shadow of recent political upheaval in Syria after militants from the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) recently seized Damascus and challenged the rule of Bashar al-Assad. Von der Leyen stressed that the EU must intensify its relations with key Syrian groups in order to stabilize the region and prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS). This new support came with a clear focus on the dignity and safety of the return of refugees, who are still living in large numbers in Turkey - almost three million, compared to significantly fewer in other countries such as Lebanon or Germany, where there are around a million Syrian refugees, reported Picture.

At the press conference after the meeting, Erdogan demanded that the EU do its part to help rebuild Syria. The two partners want to work together to ensure that Syria is stabilized after the conflict and that refugees can return safely to their homeland. This was a clear strategic point for Turkey, which advocates for the return of Syrian refugees while the EU wants to control migration flows to Europe.