Turkey defies EU pressure to shut border, says to host migration summit

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he would not stop migrants trying to cross Turkey's border into Greece despite EU pressure to do so, but he also announced a summit next week in Istanbul with European leaders to seek a solution to the crisis.

Tens of thousands of migrants have been trying to get into Greece, a European Union member state, since Turkey said on February 28 it would no longer keep them on its territory as part of a 2016 deal with Brussels in return for EU aid for the refugees.

Greece has sent troops to the border area and used tear gas and water cannon against the migrants, but the pressure has continued. Greece said it stopped 963 illegal migrants in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. on Tuesday and arrested 52.

Erdogan, speaking to reporters on his plane back to Turkey after discussing the migrant crisis on Monday in Brussels with top EU officials,...