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Biden, Erdogan Discussed Ways to Boost Bilateral Ties

© AFP 2023 / SONNY TUMBELAKAUS President Joe Biden (R) walks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) for their bilateral meeting during the G20 summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on November 15, 2022.
US President Joe Biden (R) walks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) for their bilateral meeting during the G20 summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on November 15, 2022.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.07.2023
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with Ankara during his talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the White House said.
On Sunday, the Turkish presidency said that Erdogan held a phone conversation with Biden, discussing NATO membership bids of Ukraine and Sweden, as well as the deliveries of F-16 fighter jets. The leaders agreed to meet in person at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania that will take place from July 11-12.
The White House said on Sunday that Biden and Erdogan "discussed the range of issues that NATO leaders will consider at the Summit, expressed their shared commitment to continue supporting Ukraine, and reviewed efforts to strengthen our bilateral ties."
The White House specified that Biden "also conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as soon as possible."
Erdogan told Biden that "Sweden has taken some steps in the right direction by amending anti-terrorism legislation, but the fact that supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK/PYD/YPG), banned in Turkiye, continue to freely hold demonstrations glorifying terrorism makes the steps taken futile," the Turkish presidency said.
The Turkish leader also said that it was "wrong" to connect Turkiye's request on F-16 procurement with Sweden's membership.
Erdogan also told Biden that Ankara wants leading European Union countries to send a clear and strong message of support for Turkiye's EU membership at the Vilnius summit, according to the Turkish presidency.
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