Erdogan hopes to turn new page with U.S. and EU in 2021

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey hopes to "turn a new page" in its ties with the United States and European Union.

Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan said "artificial agendas" tested Turkey’s ties with the EU and United States in 2020, but he hoped things would improve.

"We want to turn a new page with the EU and United States in the new year," Erdogan said.

"We don’t see our multilateral political, economic and military cooperation as an alternative to our deep-rooted ties with the United States. And we wish for the EU to rid itself of the strategic blindness that is distancing Turkey from it," Reuters cited the Turkish leader as saying as saying.