Greece's migration minister said his country will try to extend the 2016 migrant deal between Türkiye and the European Union in an upcoming summit in December.
"We want an agreement. The climate is positive," migration minister Dimitris Kairidis told state TV ERT.
"The agreement will be mainly Euro-Turkish. This is a Euro-Turkish problem," Kairidis said.
The aim is to amend and "expand" the 2016 agreement "with Greece's initiative because we have the more immediate interest" as a frontline migration state, the minister said.
The issue is expected to be discussed at a Dec. 7 meeting between senior Greek and Turkish officials in Thessaloniki.
The breakthrough reportedly came following a New York meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan this week.
Alongside neighboring Italy, Greece has seen a spike in migrant arrivals this year.
According to ministry figures, over 18,000 people arrived in the first eight months of the year, an increase of 106% compared to 2022.
The existing migration deal allows for irregular migrants reaching the Greek islands to be returned to Türkiye in exchange for aid.
In March 2016, Ankara and Brussels signed an agreement to reduce the number of migrants embarking on the dangerous Aegean Sea route and to find a solution for the influx of refugees heading to the EU countries.
According to the deal, Türkiye was promised 6 billion euros ($6.77 billion) in financial aid, which was initially designed to be handed over in two stages and to be used by the Turkish government to finance projects for Syrian refugees. Visa freedom for Turkish citizens was also a perk of the agreement. Lastly, the customs union was to be updated.
In exchange for these promises, Türkiye took responsibility for discouraging migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of Syrian refugees living in Türkiye. Despite significant developments in the control of migration traffic, the EU did not deliver on its commitments stated in the deal.
