“Technical talks will be held for the resolution of existing problems,” the person said, without elaborating.
During his first term, Trump initially ignored advice from his aides to impose sanctions on Turkey under its Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Caatsa) over Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence missile systems in 2019. He then took the step in 2020.
That acquisition also led to Turkey's removal from the F-35 jet programme, where it was a manufacturer and buyer. Ankara said its removal is unjust and illegal, and has demanded to rejoin or be reimbursed for its investment in the programme.
Conversations between the allies on how to resolve the S-400 deadlock were ongoing under Biden. Turkey had pledged to keep the systems non-operational, a source familiar with the discussions said, but a breakthrough never came.
A Turkish official, requesting anonymity, told Reuters ahead of Fidan's visit that Ankara was aiming to agree with Washington that keeping the S-400s non-operational can be enough to resolve the matter.
During the Biden era, the allies had settled into a new phase of relations, with a more transactional focus rather than based on shared values, as differences over policies on Syria, the war in Gaza and judicial matters persisted.
Trump has upended Biden's policy to isolate Moscow and provide unwavering support to Kyiv and instead focused on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. His shift spooked European leaders, who feared Washington could be turning its back to Europe, and bolstered Ankara's role as a potential partner in reshaping European security.
The Turkish official said discussions between Washington and Ankara had “taken a new dimension” after Trump's shift in approach to Moscow.
“If US sanctions on Russia are to be lifted, it becomes illogical for Caatsa to be implemented on third countries. As much as this issue is about Turkey-US ties, it is also about Turkey-Russia ties,” the official said.
Sources familiar with the matter said the phone call between Erdogan and Trump may bring positive momentum to conversations in coming days, though no promises were made.
“The president had a great conversation with Erdogan a few days ago. Really transformational, I would describe it,” Trump's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff said in an interview with right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson.
Exclusion from the F-35 programme pushed Turkey to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin Block-70F-16 fighter jets. However, despite agreeing on the procurement, there has been little progress on the acquisition for months.
The Turkish source said Fidan and Rubio also discussed head of state-level visits to be held in the coming period, without elaborating.
The two also emphasised the importance of stability in Syria and in the Balkans, while discussing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the source said.
**Reuters**