FM Fidan to visit Washington for high-level talks with US officials

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Washington on March 25-26, 2025, to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American officials.

This visit marks the first high-level bilateral engagement under the Trump Administration. The discussions will focus on strategic steps to enhance Türkiye-U.S. relations and preparations for upcoming state-level visits.

Key regional issues concerning both nations will also be addressed, including developments in Ukraine, Palestine, and Syria, along with potential areas of cooperation.

Topics on agenda

During his meetings in Washington, Minister Fidan is expected to:

• Convey Türkiye’s perspectives and expectations regarding regional matters.
• Reaffirm Türkiye’s support for Syria’s stability and territorial integrity.
• Emphasize the importance of lifting sanctions on Syria and highlight the need for enhanced cooperation between Türkiye and the U.S. in humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.
• Stress the necessity of coordination in countering Daesh and ensuring secure management of detention camps.
• Advocate for stronger collaboration against terrorist organizations, such as PKK/YPG terrorist organizations, under the “SDF” umbrella, as well as Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) terrorist organizations.
• Recall Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war and express support for ongoing U.S.-led ceasefire initiatives.
• Call for greater efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and ensure humanitarian aid reaches the region while emphasizing the role of U.S. influence over Israel.

• Urge discussions on lifting CAATSA sanctions and Türkiye’s reintegration into the F-35 program.
• Address the need to remove barriers in defense procurement processes and align defense industry cooperation with geopolitical realities.
• Highlight the goal of reaching a bilateral trade volume of $100 billion through concrete steps.

Türkiye-U.S. relations

Türkiye-U.S. relations gained positive momentum in 2024, a trend that has continued under the Trump Administration, which took office on Jan. 20, 2025. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan most recently held a phone call with President Donald Trump on March 16, 2025.

Minister Fidan previously met with Secretary of State Rubio on February 14, 2025, on the sidelines of the 61st Munich Security Conference. Additionally, the seventh round of the Türkiye-U.S. Strategic Mechanism was held in Washington on March 7-8, 2024.

This meeting led to the establishment of the Syria Working Group and the Energy & Climate Dialogue, as well as the revival of Counterterrorism Consultations and the Defense Industry Trade Dialogue.

As part of these efforts, the Türkiye-U.S. Counterterrorism Consultations were held in Ankara on April 22, 2024. The first meeting of the Energy & Climate Dialogue’s Regional Cooperation Working Group was conducted online on Sept. 23, 2024, following its launch in Washington on May 8, 2024.

Bilateral trade and investment relations have also been progressing. The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), originally signed in 1999, saw its first meeting in seven years when it convened in Ankara on April 30, 2024.

Furthermore, the 39th American-Turkish Conference (ATC) was held in Washington on May 9-10, 2024, after a four-year hiatus, in collaboration with the Türkiye-U.S. Business Council (TAIK) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In defense cooperation, the U.S. Congress completed the notification process for Türkiye’s request to procure 40 F-16 Viper aircraft on Feb. 11, 2024. Subsequently, a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) was signed between the two nations on June 3, 2024.

Additionally, the first meeting of the Türkiye-U.S. Iraq Working Group took place in Washington on Dec. 17, 2024. The Syria Working Group has also convened multiple times, with meetings in Washington (May 7, 2024), Ankara (Sept. 17, 2024), and again in Ankara (Jan. 10, 2025).

Minister Fidan’s visit to Washington is expected to strengthen bilateral ties and advance diplomatic engagement between Türkiye and the U.S.