Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Washington on March 25 for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The discussions will cover strengthening bilateral relations, regional issues like Ukraine, Palestine, and Syria, counter-terrorism, defense cooperation, and Türkiye's stance on lifting Syria sanctions. Defense topics include CAATSA sanctions and Türkiye's potential return to the F-35 program.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to visit Washington on March 25 for a two-day official trip. During his visit, Fidan will engage in talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials. This marks the first bilateral ministerial engagement between Türkiye and the US since President Donald Trump assumed office.

The discussions will aim to strengthen Türkiye-US bilateral relations and prepare for future state-level visits. Both sides are expected to examine key regional issues, including Ukraine, Palestine, and Syria, while exploring potential opportunities for cooperation.

Fidan plans to emphasize Türkiye's strong support for Syria's stability and territorial integrity. He is also expected to advocate for the lifting of sanctions against Syria and to encourage increased cooperation on humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts. The talks will also address coordination in combatting Daesh and managing detention centers in Syria that hold Daesh terrorists.

Counter-terrorism cooperation will be a significant focus, particularly concerning PKK/YPG terrorists operating under the "SDF" umbrella and the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO). Fidan is likely to discuss Türkiye's diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and express Türkiye's willingness to support US-led ceasefire initiatives.

Regarding the Palestine issue, Fidan is anticipated to call for increased efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery. He is also expected to urge the US to leverage its influence with Israel to support these efforts.

Defence cooperation will be another critical topic during the discussions. The agenda includes the removal of CAATSA sanctions and reconsideration of Türkiye's participation in the F-35 program. The Turkish delegation aims to address challenges in the defence industry procurement process and highlight the importance of aligning defence cooperation with geopolitical realities to achieve the bilateral trade goal of $100 billion.

Türkiye-US relations experienced positive developments throughout 2024, and this momentum appears to be continuing under the Trump administration. On March 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a phone conversation with President Trump. Fidan also previously met Rubio on February 14 during the 61st Munich Security Conference.

Progress has been made regarding the F-16 Viper procurement process, with the Congressional notification period concluded on February 11, 2024, followed by the signing of a Letter of Agreement on June 3, 2024.

Additionally, several working groups have been established to enhance cooperation between the two countries, including the Syria Working Group (which last met in January 2025), the Energy and Climate Dialogue, Counter-terrorism Consultations, and the Iraq Working Group. These initiatives reflect the broad scope of engagement between the two NATO allies.