Senior US diplomat leads diplomatic visit to Türkiye, Greece for security cooperation

Assistant Secretary Jessica Lewis embarks on a diplomatic mission to Türkiye and Greece, focusing on bolstering security cooperation and addressing shared defense challenges

The U.S. Department of State announced that Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis is traveling to Ankara and Istanbul from April 4 to 6. During her visit, she will meet with senior officials to further develop the recently established U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism.

The statement also mentioned that “Assistant Secretary Lewis will visit a Turkish munitions plant and hold meetings with representatives from the international defense industry to emphasize the pressing need for enhancing the Alliance’s defense capabilities.”

This visit follows a meeting last month at the State Department between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, held within the framework of the Türkiye-US Strategic Dialogue Mechanism.

A joint statement, released after three days of extensive discussions between senior Turkish and U.S. officials, highlighted Blinken and Fidan’s commitment to a productive, forward-looking bilateral agenda that advances shared objectives and addresses emerging global challenges.

Broad range of topics to be discussed

Discussions include regional priorities, counterterrorism efforts, defense cooperation, economic growth, trade, and energy security.

Recent years have seen strained relations between Ankara and Washington due to various disagreements, including U.S. support for the YPG in Syria – an entity Türkiye views as an extension of the PKK terrorist group – and Türkiye’s acquisition of Russia’s S-400 air defense system, leading to Türkiye’s exclusion from the F-35 program and subsequent sanctions by the U.S.

The U.S. Congress’ approval of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye in February, coming shortly after the Turkish parliament ratified Sweden’s NATO membership, was viewed positively by both sides. This move, alongside expressions of desire for a “results-oriented, forward-looking, positive bilateral agenda,” has been seen as progress.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described recent developments between Türkiye and the U.S. as “positive steps.”

U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Jeff Flake, emphasized in an article for Deseret News that the approval of the F-16 jet sale signifies “a commitment by both countries to the understanding that a strong bilateral relationship serves our collective interests.”

Lewis will also visit Greece

Assistant Secretary Lewis will then travel to Athens from April 6-9 to engage in consultations with senior defense and foreign ministry officials.

The discussions in Athens will focus on Greece’s military modernization priorities, including the purchase of “U.S. defense articles,” as well as collaboration on security matters such as support for Ukraine and maritime cooperation, as outlined by the State Department.

Source: Newsroom

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