Turkey and the United States are showing signs of improving relations ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, scheduled for 11-12 July.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Burak Akçapar and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland highlighted the outcomes of the fifth meeting of the Turkey-US Strategic Mechanism Dialogue held in Washington.
The joint statement follows a meeting between Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London on Thursday, where they participated in a conference on Ukraine.
The Turkey-US Strategic Mechanism Dialogue involved delegations from various government agencies, including the Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense, as well as the United States Departments of State and Defense.
During the meeting, discussions were held on Turkey’s request to modernise its F-16 fleet, as well as the NATO membership bid of Sweden. Both sides expressed “a firm commitment to combat terrorism, including the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)”, while pledging to coordinate closely in countering illegal organisations.
The joint statement highlighted the dedication of Turkey and the US as NATO Allies and partners to deepen their cooperation across various areas of mutual interest.
The Turkey-U.S. Strategic Mechanism Dialogue serves as a platform for comprehensive and constructive discussions between the two countries, facilitating enhanced collaboration on critical issues.
