Why has Erdogan postponed his White House visit?

Question

Accepted Answer

Erdogan Postpones White House Visit Amid Ongoing US-Turkiye Tensions

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a planned meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House, which was tentatively scheduled for May 9. A new date for the visit will be set soon due to a change in Erdogan's schedule, though the precise reasons for the postponement remain unclear. This development occurs against a backdrop of long-standing strains in US-Turkiye relations, stemming from disagreements on various international issues.
Visit Details and White House Response

The visit had been tentatively planned for May 9, with a Turkish official indicating that a new date would be established shortly due to an alteration in President Erdogan's schedule. While the White House did not confirm the specific May 9 date, a spokesperson stated that they look forward to hosting President Erdogan at a mutually convenient time. The spokesperson added that schedules had not yet aligned and no visit was currently announced. The White House had not formally announced the meeting, but it was understood to have been offered by the US and accepted by Ankara following a visit by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Washington in late March.
Unclear Prompt for Postponement

Despite the official explanation of a schedule change, a source familiar with the matter indicated that it was unclear what specifically prompted the postponement. This visit would have been President Erdogan's first bilateral trip to Washington since 2019, when he met with then-President Donald Trump. Since President Biden took office in January 2021, the two leaders have met on several occasions at international summits and have communicated by phone.
Persistent Bilateral Strains

Relations between the United States and Turkiye have been marked by sustained tension due to differing perspectives on a number of key issues. While some diplomatic progress has been observed since Ankara ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid earlier this year, persistent disagreements continue regarding policy towards Syria and Russia. Furthermore, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has added another layer of complexity to the bilateral relationship. President Erdogan recently visited neighbouring Iraq and, last weekend, held a meeting in Istanbul with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Why has Erdogan postponed his White House visit?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends