On Sunday, on the sidelines of the two-day G20 leaders’ summit in Italy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Joe Biden met in Rome.
According to a statement by Turkey’s Communications Directorate, the two sides agreed on the formation of a joint mechanism to strengthen and improve the bilateral ties. The statement also underlined that Erdoğan and Biden discussed steps to be taken in order to expand bilateral trade.
Both leaders also highlighted the importance of the NATO alliance and the strategic partnership, and also expressed satisfaction about mutual steps taken on climate change.
Elsewhere, a White House statement expressed President Biden’s underscoring of his desire to maintain constructive relations, expand areas of cooperation, and manage disagreements effectively. Biden further appreciated Turkey’s nearly two-decades-long contributions to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
The same White House statement also confirmed the discussion of the political process in Syria, the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Afghans in need, the elections in Libya, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, and diplomatic efforts in the South Caucasus during the meeting.
During the meeting, the two leaders were expected to discuss the bilateral relations and regional matters, including Syria and Afghanistan, along with other issues related to Turkey’s request for clarity in the ongoing F-35 fighter jet dispute.
The latter has been the focal point in the bilateral relations between the two countries in the past months.
The two heads of state are also expected to attend the world leaders’ summit at the start of the UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, in Glasgow.
The most recent meeting between the two leaders prior to the G20 summit was during a NATO summit in Brussels in June.
