ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey and the United States will stay in “shut coordination” as they work for a diplomatic answer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated after talks between the NATO allies’ deputy international ministers on Saturday.
Ties between Turkey and the United States have been strained over a number of points in recent times, not least Turkey’s buy of Russian S-400 air defence programs and coverage variations in Syria and the jap Mediterranean. Washington imposed sanctions on Ankara in December 2020 over the S-400s.
Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia within the Black Sea and has good ties with each nations. Ankara has known as Russia’s assault unacceptable nevertheless it has additionally opposed sanctions on Moscow.
In a press release after talks between Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Ankara, Turkey’s international ministry stated the allies “confirmed their help for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”.
“The significance of remaining in shut coordination to handle the multifaceted impacts of the disaster and help a diplomatic answer was emphasised,” it stated in a press release, including the 2 had additionally mentioned bilateral ties.
“The frequent will to deepen bilateral cooperation by means of a sustainable and institutionalised dialogue was confirmed, and it was highlighted that, regardless of the continuing disagreements on some points, Turkey and the United States have a wide-ranging optimistic agenda,” it stated.
In response to Russia’s invasion, Turkey final month closed its Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits linking the Mediterranean and Black Seas to warships below a 1936 pact, limiting passage of some Russian vessels.
However, Ankara has additionally criticised the Western response to the assault, saying sanctions on Russia ought to goal to cease the warfare.
While forging shut ties with Russia on vitality, defence and commerce, Turkey has offered drones to Kyiv, angering Moscow. Turkey, whose tourism sector depends closely on Russian vacationers, additionally opposes Moscow’s insurance policies in Syria and Libya, in addition to its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Earlier, a spokesman for Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had stated the president would urge his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to cease his invasion of Ukraine throughout a telephone name on Sunday.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Christina Fincher)
