Rubio seeks Turkey's help for peace in Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asked Turkey for help in achieving peace in Ukraine. This request was made during his first meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Washington. Fidan is on a two-day visit to strengthen ties between Turkey and the U.S., which have grown strained in recent years. Turkey has maintained good relations with both Russia and Ukraine throughout the ongoing war. It has previously attempted to mediate peace talks, hosting discussions in 2022 that did not produce results. Rubio and Fidan also talked about establishing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Turkey supports U.S. initiatives related to this matter. In addition to the discussions about Ukraine, Rubio encouraged a greater economic partnership between Turkey and the U.S. Meanwhile, Fidan is looking to have U.S. sanctions against Turkey lifted. He also wants Turkey to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program, which it was removed from in 2019 due to its purchase of Russian missiles. There are also concerns in the U.S. about Turkey's human rights record. Rubio expressed worries over the arrests and protests happening in Turkey, especially regarding the imprisonment of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Analysts suggest that U.S. President Joe Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, may have emboldened Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by downplaying human rights concerns. In their discussions, Rubio and Fidan also touched on stability in Syria, where Turkey has been involved in supporting rebel groups. Fidan emphasized the importance of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to enhance regional stability, while Erdogan's government has been a long-time supporter of Hamas.