President Tayyip Erdoğan’s expected trip to the United States, initially scheduled for May 9th, has reportedly been postponed to a later date.
A Turkish official, who spoke to YetkinReport on condition of anonymity, said the postponement was at Ankara’s request due to “changes in the President’s schedule”.
When queried about the timing of the meeting in relation to Erdoğan’s attendance at the NATO Summit in Washington from July 9 to 11, the source hinted at a likelihood of it taking place before the summit but refrained from confirming.
No specifics were provided regarding the alterations in Erdoğan’s schedule that necessitated the deferral of his US visit.
Postponed visit
Previously, it had been informally announced before the March 31 elections that Erdogan would visit Washington at the invitation of US President Joe Biden on May 8 and 9. However, official confirmation was pending.
Recent speculation surrounding the trip gained traction, prompting a statement from White House spokesman John Kirby on April 25 indicating that no plans were in place.
On April 26, during a Turkey-US Business Council (TAİK) meeting in Istanbul, US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake acknowledged ongoing preparations for the visit but suggested that the official announcement would be made closer to the visit date.
This impending visit, for which a new date has yet to be determined, marks Erdoğan’s first visit to the White House since President Biden assumed office in January 2021.
Previous encounters between Erdoğan and Biden have occurred solely within the context of international summits, a fact that has drawn criticism from Erdogan in the past.
Biden’s invitation follows Türkiye’s endorsement of Sweden’s NATO membership and subsequent negotiations regarding F-16 aircraft sales.
