France announced on Feb. 12 that it would partially lift its blockage of Turkey’s European Union path, thus setting the stage for improved ties with Ankara and raising hopes that Turkey’s stalled relations with the EU can be reanimated.
Improved ties between Ankara and Paris are also expected to end the rivalry between the two countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), placing them in a more cooperative mode that contributes to stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.