Biden, Erdoğan to discuss their differences next week: White House

WASHINGTON- Reuters

U.S. President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan will meet to discuss Syria, Afghanistan and other regional issues next week and will also look at the "significant differences" between Washington and Ankara, the U.S. national security advisor said on June 7. 

Speaking at a White House briefing, Jake Sullivan said the eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Iran, as well as the role that Turkey will play in Afghanistan as the United States withdraws from the country will be part of the "expansive agenda".

In addition, the meeting, planned to take place on June 14 on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Brussels, will also review their ties and look for ways on how the United States and Turkey deal with some of their "significant differences on values and human rights and other issues", Sullivan said.

"President Biden knows Erdoğan very well, the two men have spent a good amount of time together and they're both, I think, looking forward to the opportunity, to really have a business-like opportunity to review the full breadth of the relationship," Sullivan said.

Ankara and Washington have been struggling to repair ties, strained in recent years over several issues, including Turkey's purchase of Russian defense systems as well as policy differences in Syria.