Turkish top diplomat to go to US for key strategic talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to engage in key strategic talks with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his first trip from Ankara to Washington since the Trump administration took office, amid significant regional developments.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan will be in Washington on March 25 and 26 to meet Rubio and other key American officials.

“It is anticipated that the talks will focus on strategic steps that can be taken in bilateral relations between Türkiye and the United States and preparations for the upcoming head-of-state visits,” the sources said.

Fidan’s visit to the U.S. comes days after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump exchanged their first phone conversation. Following Fidan’s visit, Erdoğan is also expected to be hosted by Trump at the White House.

Among the top issues to be discussed between the two top diplomats are efforts to end the Russian occupation of Ukraine, the recent developments in Syria and bilateral relations in the context of advancing defense industry cooperation, the sources informed.

On Syria, Fidan will reiterate Türkiye’s commitment to the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity and stability. He will also call on the U.S. to lift the sanctions on Syria and cooperate with Türkiye to extend humanitarian aid and reconstruction of the war-torn country.

Another very crucial issue is the continued partnership of the U.S. with the YPG in the context of fighting the ISIL in Syria. Fidan will underline the need for further coordination between Türkiye and the U.S. on fighting the ISIL and controlling the prisons and camps in eastern Syria.

The dissolution of the YPG especially after it signed an agreement with Damascus will also be an important issue, the sources recalled.

Türkiye backs US-led efforts to end Ukraine-Russia war

Fidan-Rubio talks come at a time when the efforts initiated by the U.S. to end the war between Russia and Ukraine have accelerated. The Turkish minister will remind his counterpart that Türkiye has been one of the most active countries in bringing an end to the conflict, sources stressed.

He will underline Türkiye’s readiness to contribute to the U.S. efforts to produce a ceasefire to be followed by a permanent peace agreement between the two warring sides. According to the sources, Fidan and Rubio will also discuss the developments in Gaza.

Fidan will emphasize the importance of the U.S. using its influence on Israel for a permanent truce and delivery of uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza.

On bilateral issues, Fidan will advocate for Türkiye's removal from the CAATSA sanctions that have been in effect since 2020.

He will urge his counterpart to initiate collaborative efforts to lift the sanctions on Türkiye and facilitate the country's return to the F-35 fighter jet program. The U.S. removed Türkiye from the fifth-generation warplane program in reaction to Türkiye’s deployment of S-400 air defense systems from Russia.

Fidan will highlight the importance of aligning defense industry cooperation with geopolitical realities and assert that trade volume could increase to $100 billion if restrictions on defense industries are lifted.