Senior US diplomat to visit Türkiye next week to discuss bilateral ties, Gaza, Ukraine

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A senior US diplomat will visit Türkiye next week to discuss bilateral and global issues, including the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ukraine, and expanding trade and investment ties.

Under Secretary of State John Bass will travel to Ankara, Türkiye on April 15-16 and will meet senior Turkish government officials to "build on the momentum of the successful March 7-8 meeting of the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism in Washington, led by Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken and Foreign Minister (Hakan) Fidan," State Department said in a statement.

Bass will discuss key bilateral and global issues, including the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ukraine, and preparations for the NATO Summit in Washington this summer, according to the statement.

"The Under Secretary will also discuss opportunities to expand the trade and investment ties that connect and benefit the people of both of our countries," it added.

Bass will later travel to Capri, Italy to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting with Blinken on April 17-19.

Bass, who recently replaced Victoria Nuland Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs due to her retirement, formerly served as the US Ambassador to Türkiye from 2014 to 2017.

Relations between Ankara and Washington have been strained in recent years due to several disagreements including the US support for the YPG in Syria, which Ankara sees as an extension of the PKK terror group, and Türkiye’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which led to Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program and sanctions by Washington on Ankara.

The US Congress’ approval of the long-stalled sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye in February, which came shortly after the Turkish parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership, has been seen as an opportunity by both sides for a more positive bilateral agenda.

Fidan and Blinken met at the State Department last month under the framework of the Türkiye-US Strategic Dialogue Mechanism.

According to a joint statement released after three days of high-level discussions between senior Turkish and US officials at the State Department, Blinken and Fidan "reiterated their commitment to a results-oriented, forward-looking, positive bilateral agenda that advances shared objectives and addresses emerging global challenges."

The two also exchanged views on global issues, including their diplomatic engagements regarding Israel's ongoing war on Gaza and to address the humanitarian crisis.

Although the US pushes for an immediate six-weeks cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, it continues to support Israel's right to defend itself against the Oct. 7 cross border attack by Hamas, and has been supplying Tel Aviv with weapons, arms and equipment.

Türkiye demands an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and recently imposed restrictions on exports to Israel until there it declares a cease-fire and allows sufficient and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid into the strip.

Both Ankara and Washington support a durable two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.