Newsletters
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced Saturday that both Türkiye and the United States are committed to advancing bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meetings with President Donald Trump in Washington.
Speaking at a press conference at the Turkish House in New York, Fidan characterized the diplomatic engagements as "extremely friendly, positive and constructive." The minister revealed that both leaders share a common vision for strengthening their countries' partnership.
"At the end of our visit, we saw that both countries want to further advance cooperation on the basis of mutual respect. Our President and President Trump have a common will in this direction," Fidan stated.
The meetings addressed longstanding irritants in the relationship, with both sides reaching consensus on resolving issues that have hindered closer ties, including CAATSA sanctions that have complicated bilateral relations.
The diplomatic reset coincided with significant economic developments between the two NATO allies. Fidan outlined concrete steps toward expanding trade relations, with both countries targeting $100 billion in bilateral trade volume through specific projects.
Turkish Airlines secured agreements to purchase 75 wide-body and 150 narrow-body aircraft from US manufacturers, representing a substantial commercial deal. Additionally, Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry reached a long-term agreement for LNG supplies from the United States prior to the visit.
The countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation during the diplomatic meetings, expanding their partnership into the energy sector.
Defense industry collaboration emerged as a key area for future cooperation, with Fidan noting that potential steps in this sector were evaluated during the discussions. The talks come as both countries seek to address obstacles that have complicated defense partnerships in recent years.
The leaders also addressed pressing regional and global issues, finding common ground on several fronts. Both countries agreed on the necessity of preserving Syria's territorial integrity and political unity, while discussing potential joint steps to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Fidan emphasized that the visit proved "extremely productive" for bilateral relations with the US, as well as for Türkiye's broader diplomatic engagement within the UN framework. President Erdogan extended invitations to President Trump for both a bilateral visit and next year's NATO summit to be held in Ankara.
1 min read
3 min read
