New leaderships in Ankara and Brussels have the opportunity to pave the way for the strengthening and deepening of Turkey-EU relations, the resurgence of Turkey’s EU accession process, and the opportunity to cooperate on regional matters that are of strategic importance to both. The author emphasizes the significant transformation Turkey has undergone in regards to its democratic and human rights record and points to the three pillars of Turkey’s new EU Strategy – determination in the political reform process, continuity in socio-economic transformation, and effectiveness in communication – as important steps towards complying with EU standards.