Erdogan visit to US postponed: Turkish official
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Reuters reported earlier on Friday that Erdogan's visit to the United States, originally slated for May 9, had been postponed due to disagreements over specific dates.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference with German President following their meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on April 24, 2024 (AFP)
The Turkish Foreign Ministry revealed on Friday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's trip to the United States has been delayed, as Ankara and Washington continue to communicate.
Reuters reported earlier on Friday that Erdogan's visit to the United States, originally slated for May 9, had been postponed due to disagreements over specific dates.
The Turkish ministry’s spokesman, Oncu Keceli, told Sputnik that Erdogan's visit was "postponed to a later date convenient for both sides due to scheduling differences," citing that the "high-level dialogue between Turkey and the US will continue."
Last month AFP reported that Erdogan and US President Joe Biden were set to meet on May 9, citing an informed Turkish official.
This would mark the first meeting between both presidents at the White House, who last met in July, at a NATO summit in Lithuania.
This comes as NATO allies try to mend ties with Turkey after they had been strained due to disputes, including its delay in approving Sweden's NATO bid.
Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Program at The Washington Institute, highlighted the significance of this trip, noting that throughout Erdogan's 21-year presidency, Biden had been the only US president who did not invite him to the White House.
"It's a pretty big deal that Erdogan has finally secured an invitation just before the end of Biden's term," he said.
US in talks with Turkey to buy explosives for Ukraine
Bloomberg reported last month that the US is looking to acquire explosives from Turkey in order to increase artillery shell manufacturing amid a worsening ammunition shortfall in Ukraine.
According to the article, the US is most interested in the Turkish supply of trinitrotoluene, often known as TNT, and nitroguanidine, which are crucial components of 155mm artillery shell manufacture, as demand for the ammunition has increased dramatically over the last two years due to the situation in Ukraine.
The Pentagon stated last month that a Turkish defense contractor would help the US in developing munition lines in Texas capable of manufacturing 30,000 artillery shells per month by the end of next year.
CNN previously cited NATO intelligence estimates that indicate Russia manufactures around 3 million artillery rounds per year, while the US and its European allies can only generate 1.2 million munitions yearly.
Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, Western nations have provided military and financial help to Kiev, something the Kremlin has repeatedly cautioned against, citing a further escalation of the issue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any container carrying weapons for Ukraine will be considered a suitable target for Russian attacks.
