ANKARA: On Wednesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman traveled to Turkey for the first time in a long time to meet with President Tayyip Erdogan in an effort to totally mend relations that were severed following the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The visit is a milestone in the de facto Saudi ruler’s efforts to repair his reputation outside of the Gulf, and Erdogan is seeking financial assistance to improve Turkey’s struggling economy ahead of close presidential elections.
After a months-long effort to improve ties between the regional powers, including dropping the Turkish trial over Khashoggi’s murder in Istanbul in 2018, Erdogan met with Prince Mohammed in person in April in Saudi Arabia.
Erdogan stated last week that during their talks in Ankara, he and Prince Mohammed would talk about “to what much higher degree” they may take their relationship.
According to a senior Turkish official who spoke to the media under the condition of anonymity, the visit is anticipated to bring “a full normalization and a restoration of the pre-crisis period.” There will be a new era.
Erdogan greeted Prince Mohammed with a ceremony at the presidential palace in Ankara, where the two shook hands and hugged before being greeted by Turkish cabinet members.
The two nations reaffirmed their commitment to starting a new era of collaboration in bilateral relations in a statement released after the discussions.
