Summit in Brussels 'historic' in Turkey's accession to EU, says PM Davutoğlu

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said the summit with European Union leaders on Sunday was a "new beginning" in Turkey's accession process to the 28-nation bloc.

"Today is a historic day in our accession process to the EU," Davutoğlu told reporters on arrival for the talks, in which EU leaders will ask for Ankara's help regarding overwhelming refugee crisis in exchange for financial aid and several concessions.

"With EU leaders today we will be sharing the destiny of our continent, global challenges of the economic crisis as well as regional geopolitical challenges in front of us, including migration issues," Davutoğlu said.

"I am grateful to all European leaders for this new beginning," he said.

In an effort to find an effective solution to the most overwhelming refugee crisis since World War II, on Sunday the European Union organized an extraordinary summit with Turkey after a long time, asking for Ankara's help on the issue in exchange for financial aid and several concessions.

According to some sources reported throughout the day, the EU is expected to provide 3 billion euros to Turkey, 500 million of which will come from the EU's budget. The rest is reportedly to be provided jointly by the member states.

"We are a European nation; the destiny of our continent belongs to all of you," Davutoğlu told European leaders at the summit in Brussels.

"And for the future of European continent, Turkey is doing anything possible not just to respond to the refugee crisis but all issues regarding the future of our continent," he said. "We want to be a member of the European family."