Turkish foreign minister meets US secretary of state on sidelines of NATO meeting in Antalya

By Tugba Altun and Muhammet Tarhan

ANTALYA (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the informal NATO foreign ministers meeting in the Turkish resort city of Antalya.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on X that the meeting was held at the NEST Congress Center in Belek.

According to diplomatic sources, preparations for the visits planned to be held at the heads of state level were discussed during the meeting.

They also stressed the need to prioritize dialogue and negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, underscoring the importance of recent diplomatic efforts by Türkiye and the US.

The two sides agreed that efforts will continue to ensure that the parties hold direct talks.

On the situation in Gaza, Fidan emphasized the urgent need to improve humanitarian conditions and called for joint efforts to address the crisis.

During the meeting, the negotiation process between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran's nuclear program, as well as the situation in Syria was also discussed.

The sources said the ministers also discussed the importance of reducing tensions and promoting stability in South Asia, and exchanged views on US President Donald Trump’s recent visits to Gulf countries.