BRUSSELS — The European Union pressed ahead Wednesday with efforts to persuade Turkey to stop asylum seekers from reaching Europe and take back thousands more by offering Turkish citizens the prospect of visa-free travel within the bloc. Mindful of Turkey’s pivotal role in managing Europe’s refugee crisis, the European Commission said Ankara has met all but five of the 72 criteria needed to end visa requirements. Once endorsed, Turkish citizens would be able to travel for 90 days without a visa to all EU member countries — except for Britain and Ireland, which have provisions for opting out of such policies — and four members of the Schengen passport-free travel area: