Turkey is acting with a strategic perspective of full EU membership, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday during a meeting on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency, Erdogan also underlined the need to revitalize Turkey’s accession process during his meeting with Emmanuel Macron.

He expressed Ankara’s expectation that the EU will update the Customs Union with Turkey and fulfill its promises to Ankara regarding the liberalization of the visa regime for Turkish citizens.

The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues.

“President Erdogan stated that it is in the interest of all countries to resolve tensions such as those between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine and Israel and Lebanon through peaceful diplomacy,” a statement from the Turkish president’s office said.