Blinken holds high-stakes talks with Turkey

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has engaged in discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, addressing the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The meeting, held in Istanbul, marked the first leg of Blinken’s tour, which includes visits to Israel and the West Bank.

Blinken’s fourth crisis tour since the conflict erupted three months ago comes at a time when concerns are escalating about the potential regional implications of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

A senior US administration official revealed that Blinken is set to urge Israel to increase aid to Palestinians and transition to a phase that allows displaced individuals to return home.

Talks with Arab leaders will primarily focus on containing violence and exploring governance strategies for the post-conflict region.

The backdrop of the meeting includes recent events where Turkey, once a base for Hamas political leaders, asked them to leave after celebrating attacks that resulted in significant casualties in Israel.

Turkish President Erdogan, known for his strident criticisms, has become one of the harshest critics of the scale of death and destruction in Gaza, accusing the United States of supporting the “genocide” of Palestinians.

Erdogan’s changing tone follows a call from US President Joe Biden, leading to progress in Turkey’s acceptance of Sweden into NATO and a parliamentary committee’s approval of Sweden’s application in December.

During Blinken’s visit to Turkey, discussions focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sweden’s NATO accession, and broader bilateral and regional issues.

The US Secretary of State seeks assurances from Erdogan regarding a prompt ratification vote on Sweden’s NATO accession. Erdogan, holding veto power, has used it to influence Sweden’s stance on Kurdish groups and linked approval to the acquisition of US F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits.

While Biden’s administration supports the sale, resistance in Congress, fueled by concerns about Turkey’s position on Sweden and historical military conflicts with Greece, poses a challenge.

Blinken is set to travel to the Greek island of Crete for talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on Greece’s opposition to US jet sales due to longstanding territorial disputes with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.