On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the necessity of managing disagreements more effectively between their nations, following tensions over Turkey’s potential non-recognition of the U.S. ambassador and its acquisition of a Russian missile defense system.
“We’re planning to have a good conversation,” Biden remarked as both leaders faced the press before engaging in nearly an hour of private discussions. He avoided questions about Turkey’s closeness to Russia and human rights issues.
During the meeting, Biden highlighted Turkey’s vital role as a NATO ally and its defense collaborations with the U.S., while expressing concerns regarding Turkey’s possession of the Russian S-400 missile system, the White House later reported.
Erdogan has indicated openness to acquiring a second Russian missile system, despite the controversy from the 2017 purchase.
Recently, Turkey’s status as a NATO ally has been scrutinized.
At an October 23 rally, Erdogan suggested that 10 foreign ambassadors, who advocated for the release of a detained philanthropist, be declared persona non grata. These diplomats, including those from the U.S., France, and Germany, had called for the resolution of Osman Kavala’s case, imprisoned since 2017 without a conviction.
Though Erdogan did not enact the expulsion, it highlighted rising U.S.-Turkey tensions.
“I cannot honestly say that there is a healthy process in Turkish-American relations,” Anadolu news agency quoted Erdogan in September.
Erdogan’s office described the meeting as held in a “positive atmosphere,” where leaders aimed to “strengthen and improve Turkey-U.S. relations and agreed on creating a joint mechanism.”
The statement noted “satisfaction with steps taken on climate change.”
Turkey was removed from a U.S. program for F-35 combat planes, and defense officials were sanctioned following its purchase of the S-400 system. The U.S. contends that Russian systems within NATO pose a threat to F-35s.
Turkey argues the S-400s can function independently, posing no risk to NATO systems.
Turkey seeks to purchase American F-16 jets, but Biden stressed there is a formal process for such sales, a senior U.S. official reported after the meeting, held during the G20 summit in Rome. The official spoke anonymously.
Erdogan previously mentioned Turkey’s efforts to recoup a $1.4 billion payment made before its F-35 program expulsion and that the U.S. proposed F-16 sales as compensation.
Post-meeting, Erdogan expressed optimism about reaching a U.S. agreement on F-16 sales.
“Our defense ministers are in talks,” Erdogan stated. “I observed Mr. Biden’s positive stance.”
The White House stated Biden and Erdogan also discussed Syria’s political process, Afghan humanitarian aid, Libyan elections, Eastern Mediterranean issues, and South Caucasus diplomacy.
Biden raised human rights and rule of law issues in Turkey, urging more cooperative handling of “disagreements,” the White House noted.
Their last meeting in June at a NATO summit explored Turkey’s potential airport security role in Kabul, Afghanistan, plans which dissolved as the Taliban regained control amid U.S. military withdrawal.
