U.S. and Turkey Foreign Ministers Meet on the Sidelines of Munich Conference

On Friday, February 15, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Tommy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, released a brief statement indicating that strengthening relations between the two countries, shared values of Washington and Ankara in the region, and bilateral trade were key topics of discussion. During the meeting, the U.S. Secretary of State emphasized the necessity of close cooperation between the two countries to support a stable and united Syria that does not pose a threat to the U.S., Turkey, and the region. Rubio also referenced Turkey's leadership in the global coalition to defeat ISIS, the joint efforts of both countries to support a fair and lasting peace in the South Caucasus, and the 'common goal' of both nations to end the war in Ukraine. Simultaneously, Reuters reported, citing a source from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Rubio and Fidan also discussed the situation in Gaza, with the Turkish Foreign Minister calling for a permanent ceasefire in the region. According to the source, the U.S. and Turkish foreign ministers also 'thoroughly' discussed developments related to achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia. J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President, in his speech on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, briefly referred to the war between Russia and Ukraine, calling for a reasonable agreement between the two countries and an end to the war. The Wall Street Journal reported on February 15, citing J.D. Vance, that if Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, does not agree to a peace agreement with Ukraine that guarantees Kyiv's long-term independence, the U.S. could strike Moscow with sanctions and potential military tools. Vance warned about the consequences of Russia's opposition to establishing peace with Ukraine. In an interview with the newspaper, he stated, 'There are economic leverage tools, and there are also military leverage tools' that the United States can use against Putin. In this context, Marco Rubio on February 15 noted that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, is seeking to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, stating that this endeavor will be difficult and must go through stages that may start with a ceasefire. He also emphasized the need for global efforts to help establish peace between Russia and Ukraine, mentioning the necessity of cooperation from Europe and NATO, and added that there would be sustainable security guarantees for Ukraine, which Europeans must be willing to provide. Regarding the meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, he stated, 'We will convey the U.S. President's position and perspective on this forward movement and will listen to their views, adding that they must be part of it, as Ukraine is their country.' Previously, the President of Ukraine stated that Kyiv would not accept any agreement regarding the fate of the country and the end of the three-year war with Moscow that is agreed upon bilaterally between Russia and the U.S. without Kyiv's participation. Zelensky's remarks came after Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin on February 14, and they agreed that negotiations to end the war should begin promptly. Trump suggested that a meeting might soon be held in Saudi Arabia. He then spoke with Zelensky and updated him on his conversation with Putin. The U.S. President wrote on February 15 on his 'Truth Social' platform: 'Great talks with Russia and Ukraine' and 'a good chance to end that horrible and very bloody war!!!' Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has seized about 20% of Ukrainian territory as of February 24, 2022.