Biden To Discuss Afghanistan, Russia, China With Erdogan On Monday - Sullivan

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published June 14, 2021 | 04:40 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2021) US President Joe Biden is expected to discuss Afghanistan, as well as Syria, Libya, Russia and China during his upcoming meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

"... they will talk about Afghanistan and, in particular, how we ensure that our embassies can stay in a safe and secure way in Afghanistan to be able to do all the things that we want to do in providing for the Afghan government and security forces and people," Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

He said that the US-Turkey relationship has some challenges, including human rights-related issues, that need to be discussed, as well as political and economic topics.

"They will talk about Syria and humanitarian access, among other issues in the counterterrorism space. They will talk about the eastern Mediterranean. They will talk about Libya," Sullivan said, adding that "they will talk about ... Russia and China. You know, Russia, obviously, is both at odds with Turkey in some places and working with Turkey in others.

So it'll be an interesting chance for him to compare notes with Erdogan before seeing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin."

Milan Uhrik, who is a member of the delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee and the delegation for relations with the US with the European Union, told Sputnik that during his meeting with Erdogan, Biden is expected to try to sway his stand on controversial issues, including Russian S-400 air defense systems, but is unlikely to be successful.

Last week, Biden embarked on his first overseas trip to reconnect with G7, NATO and European Union leaders. The stops in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Switzerland aim to highlight the US commitment to restoring alliances, revitalizing the transatlantic relationship, and working in close cooperation with allies to address global challenges.

Biden will meet with Erdogan on Monday. On June 16, Biden will meet with Putin in Geneva to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including strategic stability and arms control.