European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU's readiness to provide three billion euros to help Syrian refugees in Turkey until 2024.

The announcement came during a press conference held by von der Leyen in conjunction with EU President Charles Michel, and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, whose country is chairing the current session of the EU, after the end of the European Summit on 24-25 this month.

Von der Leyen indicated that these funds will be spent to secure economic and social prospects for Syrian refugees who have been on Turkish soil for a decade, explaining that the union will also provide 2.2 billion euros to Jordan and Lebanon, which also receive large numbers of refugees.

This money is to be spent from the Union's budget, and "we called on member states to provide additional funds," according to von der Leyen.

She explained that work will be underway to prepare the necessary legal regulations to implement this commitment.

As for relations with Turkey, the head of the European executive body confirmed that the EU had noticed a reduction in escalation in the eastern Mediterranean, and a continuation of talks between Ankara and Greece, “but matters regarding resolving the status of the island of Cyprus are not progressing and this is frustrating,” as she put it.

The Europeans require that Turkey play a positive role in solving the region's problems and improving the human rights situation internally to allow for further progress towards constructive relations with the Union.

It is reported that the European Union has been working with the Turks for several months on issues related to bilateral trade relations.