The call addressed steps to enhance the Türkiye-Austria relations, as well as regional issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Turkish presidency said.

Erdoğan voiced his pleasure over the recent increase in the high-level contacts between Türkiye and Austria.

Erdoğan stated that the sensitivity to be displayed regarding the welfare and peace of Austria's Turkish community, which forms the strongest humanitarian bond between the two countries, would further consolidate the current positive atmosphere.

Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye was continuing to exert every effort in its power for the restoration of peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Reiterating his expectation for the established mechanisms of the Türkiye-EU relations to be reactivated, concrete progress to be made in the visa liberalization process, new chapters to be opened and the negotiations on updating the Customs Union to be initiated without delay, Erdoğan drew attention to the strategic nature of carrying the energy resources of the Caspian basin and East Mediterranean to Europe via Türkiye, and added that Türkiye would expand cooperation in this regard with Austria, a major distribution center of natural gas in Europe. (ILKHA)