Erdogan and Trump Forge Path to 'Meaningful Progress'

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump have reported significant progress on various regional and bilateral issues during a pivotal meeting at the White House. The talks covered defense cooperation and trade, yet avoided direct references to contentious subjects such as Turkey's purchase of Russian oil and U.S. fighter jets.

Despite Erdogan's lack of direct reference to Russian oil and fighter jet deals, he expressed optimism following discussions on boosting trade, including revising customs duties to achieve a $100-billion target. Notably, Turkish Airlines announced plans to order 75 Boeing 787 planes and concluded negotiations for 150 737 MAX aircraft pending engine talks.

The meeting also touched on international diplomacy, as both leaders discussed U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza and emphasized a two-state solution for regional peace. Erdogan criticized Israel's actions, referring to them as 'genocide', a charge that Israel denies. Cooperation between Russia and Turkey continues amid complex sanctions and military procurement issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)