Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek on Thursday said Türkiye was committed to advancing its strategic partnership with the United States in all fields.
Şimşek’s remarks came following what he said were “productive discussions” with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington.
The talks were held in a “constructive atmosphere” focused on advancing Türkiye-U.S. relations, an earlier statement by the Treasury and Finance Ministry said.
Şimşek said Türkiye is “committed to deepening & broadening our strategic partnership with the United States across all fronts – from trade & investment to defense, space, energy, AI & robotics.”
“The potential for our cooperation is enormous, with huge upside for both nations,” he wrote on social media platform X.
“We look forward to building on this momentum to drive economic growth, technological advancement, and invest in regional peace and security.”
It was not immediately clear whether the officials discussed tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump announced last month and that went into effect earlier this month.
Türkiye is among the economies subject to the lowest “reciprocal” U.S. tariff of 10% and is viewed as being among a handful of countries emerging as potential winners.
Ankara has called them the “best of the worst,” given higher tariffs on many other countries.
Türkiye will still seek to be exempted from the tariffs, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said on Wednesday, ahead of his visit to the U.S. next month, citing a trade surplus that is in favor of the United States.
The U.S. is Türkiye’s second-largest trade partner after the European Union.
“It is natural for the U.S. to prioritize the countries with which it has a foreign trade deficit in the measures it takes. The U.S. has a surplus in relation to us. In that sense, we expect the 10% tariff to be removed. This will be our concrete demand,” Bolat said.
The statement by Şimşek’s ministry said he touched on cooperation opportunities in the fields of investment and trade, transportation and energy, and emphasized the importance of lifting current restrictions to ensure cooperation in the defense industry.
The parties also exchanged views on regional issues.
“We pointed out the need to lift sanctions imposed on Syria, and explained the contributions that Türkiye could provide to ensure a cease-fire and peace in Ukraine,” the statement said.
Şimşek was accompanied by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) Governor Fatih Karahan.
Bessent said talks were “broad and deep,” and focused on how the U.S. and Türkiye can increase economic engagement.
The meeting also addressed cooperation in the Middle East, as well as in the context of Ukraine and Russia, he wrote on X.
“I also emphasized the Trump Administration’s commitment to the maximum pressure campaign against Iran.”
Şimşek was in Washington this week to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
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