Turkish, US top advisers hold phone talk

ANKARA

Akif Çağatay Kılıç, foreign policy chief and security adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has engaged in a telephone conversation with U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The discussion covered a range of topics spanning international and regional issues, including Ukraine, Iraq and Cyprus, according to a statement from Türkiye's Communications Directorate issued on Aug. 24.

Subsequently, Kılıç met with members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Joe Wilson, Dean Phillips and Victoria Spartz. Emphasizing the significance of robust bilateral relations, the officials delved into matters of mutual concern, extending their discourse to encompass regional and international dynamics.

Kılıç took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the visit, stating, "We discussed the relations between the two countries, as well as other regional and global issues. I would like to thank our guests for this productive visit."

Concurrently, a separate meeting took place between the U.S. representatives and the Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission. The meeting showcased a collaborative approach toward the facilitation of streamlined sales of modernized F16 fighter jets to Türkiye.

Türkiye officially requested to buy 40 new F16s and 79 modernization kits from the U.S. after it was expelled from the F35 next-generation fighter jet program. Due to the objections in the U.S. Congress, the Joe Biden administration has not yet formally sent the sale for the approval of the congressmen.

Meanwhile, the U.S. delegation also broached the topic of Sweden's NATO accession process. Highlighting the importance of the Nordic country's participation for the alliance, the U.S. officials requested support from their Turkish counterparts.

Ankara has long been voicing concerns about Sweden's leniency towards terrorist groups and is pushing for more concrete action in the fight against them.