Monitoring Desk
ANKARA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday arrived in Turkiye to show support to the quake-hit country which has had tumultuous relations with Washington.
His visit comes after a powerful earthquake hit southeastern Turkiye and northern Syria killing around 46,000 people but his visit had been planned before the calamity.
This is Blinken’s first visit to Turkiye since he took the office as the Secretary of State two years ago.
Blinken arrived at Incirlik air base in Turkiye through which the United States has supplied aid after the deadliest earthquake.
The US diplomat will meet officials coordinating the delivery of US relief aid and see the humanitarian effort underway in Hatay province.
US relief efforts in quake-hit Turkiye and Syria
The US has sent rescue teams and contributed an initial $85 million in relief for Turkiye and Syria, deploying helicopters to deliver aid supplies to worst-hit areas.
US-Turkiye relations have not been exemplary in recent years, but Washington has since considered the country as helpful for its mediatory role between Ukraine and Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
Turkiye wants to buy US-made F-16 fighter jets however the sale is being blocked in the US Congress due to concerns over Turkiye’s human rights record and threats to Greece.
The Secretary of State will also hold talks over Turkiye’s refusal to approve Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership applications.
