The presidents of the European Council and the European Commission will meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey on April 6, an EU spokesman said on Monday, in the latest sign of improving ties. The EU did not give further details of the trip by Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen. But the visit is part of a relaunch of relations approved by EU leaders last week after Turkey moved to calm a dispute over hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean.

The European Union has halted plans to blacklist senior executives at Turkey’s state-owned oil and gas company, in a sign that the body is easing some pressure on Ankara in the wake of a diplomatic offensive. A more constructive tone from Erdogan this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s support for a more conciliatory approach and the first direct talks between old foes Turkey and Greece in five years have all helped to change the mood. The new administration of US President Joe Biden has also urged Brussels not to impose sanctions at a time when Turkey, a Nato ally and EU candidate country, appears more willing to compromise, European and US diplomats said.

Turkey’s President Erdogan and European Union chiefs discussed eastern Mediterranean tensions and Turkey-EU ties in a video call on Friday, ahead of an EU summit due to address fraught relations with Ankara. The Turkish presidency said Erdogan told European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Ankara had maintained its “constructive approach” in the Mediterranean despite “provocations” from Greece and Cyprus. President Erdogan said he expected a result from the March 25-26 EU summit that will pave the way for concrete efforts to move forward, adding Erdogan had repeated a proposal for a regional eastern Mediterranean conference.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has told United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile-defence system was “a done deal”, in their first face-to-face meeting since the latter took office. Describing the talks as constructive, Cavusoglu said Ankara Turkey to meet its future defence needs primarily from NATO allies and agreed on the need to keep discussing differences with Washington. The US State Department said Blinken had “urged” Turkey not to retain the Russian S-400 air defence system. Washington has repeatedly rejected a working group to discuss the S-400s.

Murat Mercan, Turkey’s new U.S. ambassador said on March 16 that he aims to advance relations with the U.S., a day after taking office in Washington, DC. In a video message addressed to the Turkish American community, Hasan Murat Mercan said transatlantic relations have been important for Turkey and will continue to be of importance. During his time in office, he said he would work with members of the Turkish-American community to promote Turkey better in the US and do his part for the development of Turkey.

Joe Biden has joined European leaders in condemning Turkey’s withdrawal from a landmark international accord designed to protect women from violence. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a decree on March 22 annulling Turkey’s ratification of the Istanbul convention, a landmark European treaty protecting women from violence that it was the first country to sign 10 years ago and that bears the name of its largest city. The convention requires governments to adopt legislation prosecuting domestic violence and similar abuse as well as marital rape and female genital mutilation. The US president called the move “deeply disappointing”, saying it was a step backward in efforts to end violence against women.