POLITICO EU summit: live blog Leaders seal a controversial migration deal with Turkey.

European leaders signed a sweeping refugee pact with Turkey Friday, securing a hard-fought deal they hope will reduce the flow of refugees into the EU and calm a crisis that has tested the bloc’s unity like nothing in its 65-year history.

Under the agreement, Ankara will take back Syrian migrants who reach Greece illegally in return for the relocation in Europe of Syrian refugees now in Turkey. Europe hopes forcing refugees back to Turkey will dissuade them from crossing the Aegean, while also upending the human-smuggling trade. Nearly all the refugees arriving in Europe from Syria do so via Turkey.

In return for Turkey’s agreement, the EU will grant visa-free travel to Turkish citizens, as soon as this summer, accelerate Ankara’s EU membership application and increase financial aid to help Turkey manage the refugee crisis by €3 billion to €6 billion.