For first time since Trump's presidency. Erdogan to visit White House in May - Reuters
Photo: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkiye (Getty Images)
President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet his American counterpart Joe Biden during a visit to the White House on May 9, informs Reuters.
As the source notes, this will be Erdogan's first visit to the United States since Donald Trump's presidency. Relations between the two countries have long been strained due to differences on a number of issues, including the delay in ratifying Sweden's NATO membership application.
Tensions persist also because American military forces remain allies of Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, despite Turkiye considering them terrorists.
According to one US official, Washington sees the meeting as an opportunity to persuade Erdogan to fully ban the transit through Turkiye of dual-use goods used by Russia, such as chemicals and microchips.
"We hope the visit will also be an opportunity to deepen cooperation in various areas and consolidate the spirit of alliance, including on counter-terrorism," said a Turkish official who confirmed Erdogan's visit.
Turkiye's position on the war
Turkiye maintains a neutral stance regarding Russia's war against Ukraine. Ankara declares its support for Ukraine's sovereignty while refraining from directly condemning Moscow.
At the outset of the full-scale war, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were held in Istanbul, but they yielded limited results. Turkiye also acted as a mediator in establishing the grain corridor and facilitating several prisoner exchanges.
In February, Erdogan stated that his country continues to seek mediation between Ukraine and Russia, with the Foreign Minister emphasizing the necessity for a ceasefire.
