UPDATE - Turkish president, Greek premier meet in US for talks

ADDS DETAILS ABOUT MEETING

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the US for talks.

Erdogan and Mitsotakis discussed bilateral relations, regional and global issues during the closed-door meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in the US, according to Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

The president underlined that Türkiye continues its efforts to develop the "spirit of solidarity" with Greece, based on the principle of good neighborliness.

Erdogan said positive efforts should be increased to end the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine.

He added that it would be beneficial for all countries in the region to work to ensure peace in those geographies.

This May, Erdogan welcomed Mitsotakis in the Turkish capital Ankara, where they reviewed the results of the 5th High-Level Cooperation Council, which was held in Athens last year.

During the meeting in 2023, Erdogan underlined that Türkiye wants to enhance even further the "positive momentum" in bilateral ties.

"It is very natural for two neighbors to have differences of opinion. What matters is the will to resolve them. We want to turn the Aegean into a sea of peace and cooperation," Erdogan had told a news conference alongside Mitsotakis.

"We aspire to set an example for the whole world with the joint steps we take as Türkiye and Greece. Let me be frank here: There is no problem that cannot be solved between us as long as we act with good will, focus on the big picture, and do not stumble over molehills.”