EU Seeks to Defuse Squabble With Turkey Over Von der Leyen Gaffe

The European Union sought to ease tensions with Turkey after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen named the country alongside Russia and China, creating the impression that the NATO partner was seen as a potential threat.

At an event in Hamburg for the Zeit newspaper on Sunday, von der Leyen was describing her support for EU enlargement and said the bloc “must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Turkey or China.” The comments were picked up by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.