Turkish president urges EU to support Syrian refugees' return

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Trkiye on Dec. 17, 2024. Erdogan stressed here Tuesday the necessity of establishing an inclusive administration in Syria and urged the European Union (EU) to facilitate Syrian refugees' return back home. There is no place for "terrorist organizations" in the region, Erdogan said at a joint press conference with von der Leyen. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

ANKARA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed here Tuesday the necessity of establishing an inclusive administration in Syria and urged the European Union (EU) to facilitate Syrian refugees' return back home.

There is no place for "terrorist organizations" in the region, Erdogan said at a joint press conference with visiting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Noting that a significant portion of Syrian refugees currently reside in Trkiye, Erdogan said Syria's reconstruction requires swift and robust support from its neighbors, allied nations, the EU, and international organizations.

Following the press conference, von der Leyen wrote on social media platform X that the EU will allocate an extra 1 billion euros in aid to support Syrian refugees in Trkiye through 2024.

"EU-Trkiye relations are important," she said, adding, "Our economic ties grow stronger each year, and Trkiye remains a key partner on migration."

The EU has allocated 6 billion euros to Trkiye to help Syrians take shelter there.

According to official figures, nearly 3 million registered Syrian refugees reside in Trkiye.