Ankara, March 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Washington on March 25 for a two-day official visit, where he will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials. This visit marks the first high-level ministerial engagement between Türkiye and the United States since President Donald Trump assumed office.
The discussions will focus on strengthening Türkiye-U.S. bilateral relations and laying the groundwork for future high-level state visits. Key regional issues, including developments in Ukraine, Palestine, and Syria, will be central to the talks as both sides explore avenues for cooperation.
Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s commitment to Syria’s stability and territorial integrity while advocating for the lifting of sanctions against Syria and increased humanitarian assistance for reconstruction efforts. Additionally, the talks will address counterterrorism coordination, particularly regarding Daesh and the secure management of detention centers holding Daesh militants in Syria. Türkiye’s concerns over the activities of PKK/YPG elements operating under the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) umbrella and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) will also be raised.
On Ukraine, Fidan will discuss Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to mediate a resolution to the conflict and its readiness to support ceasefire initiatives led by the U.S. Regarding Palestine, he is expected to call for intensified efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery, urging Washington to leverage its influence over Israel.
Defense Cooperation and Strategic Dialogue
Defense cooperation is set to be a major focus, with Türkiye seeking the removal of U.S. sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and its potential reintegration into the F-35 fighter jet program. Discussions will also cover outstanding defense procurement issues, as both sides work toward aligning defense industry collaboration with broader geopolitical objectives. Officials have emphasized that resolving these matters could contribute to achieving the bilateral trade target of $100 billion.
Relations between Türkiye and the U.S. have seen renewed momentum throughout 2024, continuing under the Trump administration. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Trump recently held a telephone conversation on March 16 to discuss bilateral ties.
Fidan’s upcoming visit follows his prior meeting with Rubio on February 14 at the 61st Munich Security Conference. Meanwhile, progress has been made in Türkiye’s F-16 Viper procurement process, with the Congressional notification period concluding on February 11, 2024, and a Letter of Agreement signed on June 3, 2024.
Several working groups have been established to enhance cooperation between the two NATO allies, including the Syria Working Group, the Energy and Climate Dialogue, Counterterrorism Consultations, and the Iraq Working Group. These initiatives highlight the broad scope of engagement between Ankara and Washington as they seek to reinforce their strategic partnership.
