Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday during the Munich Security Conference to discuss regional security issues, including the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, and bilateral trade relations, Rubio’s spokesperson announced.
During their first face-to-face meeting, Rubio emphasized the need for close US-Turkish cooperation in stabilizing Syria and countering threats from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). He acknowledged Turkey’s “leadership” in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIL and reiterated Washington’s commitment to supporting a secure and unified Syria that does not pose a threat to either country or the broader region.
According to the Turkish foreign ministry, Fidan outlined Turkey’s stance on combating ISIL and shared Ankara’s perspective on steps regional actors could take to strengthen counterterrorism efforts. He also emphasized the importance of achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, saying that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential for long-term regional stability. Discussions about Gaza were absent in the US announcement about the meeting.
The two officials also reviewed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, with both reaffirming their countries’ shared objective of ending the conflict and supporting peace efforts in the South Caucasus, where Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a decades-long conflict and now are searching for avenues for peace following Baku’s triumph in retaking an Armenian-occupied enclave.
The meeting came as part of a broader series of diplomatic engagements at the Munich Security Conference. The Turkish state broadcaster reported that Fidan also met separately with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, where discussions focused on Syria, transatlantic security and the implications of the regime change in Syria.