FM Fidan set to meet US counterpart Rubio in Washington for talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, are set to meet Tuesday in Washington, D.C., marking the first visit under President Donald Trump’s administration. Fidan will be in Washington on March 25-26.

The meeting will focus on strengthening Türkiye-U.S. relations and preparing for future high-level visits between the two nations.

Fidan is also expected to meet with other senior U.S. officials during his visit. The discussions will cover various regional issues, including the situations in Ukraine, Palestine, and Syria, with a focus on exploring further opportunities for cooperation.

Fidan will convey Ankara’s positions on key regional matters, particularly its support for Syria’s stability and territorial integrity. The lifting of sanctions on Syria and expanding cooperation in humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts will also be on the agenda. Additionally, the fight against the Daesh terror group and refugee camp management will be addressed.

The meetings will center on strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism, including efforts to dismantle PKK/YPG elements under the SDF umbrella and countering the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Fidan will highlight Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and support U.S.-led ceasefire initiatives, offering to contribute further to those efforts.

The talks will also cover the need for greater efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid to the enclave, and urge the U.S. to use its influence on Israel.

Türkiye’s return to the F-35 program

The discussions will touch on the lifting of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions, Türkiye’s return to the F-35 program, and removing barriers to defense industry procurement.

Fidan is expected to emphasize aligning defense industry cooperation with geopolitical realities and hopes of achieving a $100 billion trade target.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that relations with the U.S. could gain “significant momentum.” “I believe that we should and will achieve this for the sake of our region despite all the challenges, especially lobbies seeking to poison the two countries’ cooperation,” Erdogan told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump held a call on March 16 to discuss ties and regional issues. “We have discussed many important issues, including the lifting of all obstacles before our $100 billion trade goal, during our sincere phone call. We discussed in detail current critical developments in our region, Syria in particular,” Erdogan said.