U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate over a range of issues.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries, with Turkey’s recent military incursions into Syria and its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems causing friction with the United States.
Blinken and Erdogan discussed a range of issues, including the situation in Syria, the conflict in Libya, and the ongoing dispute over Turkey’s purchase of the S-400s.
The two leaders also discussed the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey and Greece have been locked in a dispute over maritime boundaries and energy resources.
Blinken said that the United States was committed to working with Turkey to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict, and that the two countries should work together to reduce tensions in the region.
The meeting comes as the United States and Turkey have been at odds over a range of issues, including Turkey’s military incursions into Syria, its purchase of the S-400s, and its support for the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The United States has also been critical of Turkey’s human rights record, and has imposed sanctions on the country over its purchase of the S-400s.
The meeting between Blinken and Erdogan is seen as an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries, and to find a diplomatic solution to the various disputes.
It remains to be seen whether the meeting will lead to a breakthrough in the dispute between the two countries, but it is clear that the United States and Turkey are committed to finding a diplomatic solution to the various issues that have caused tension between them.