By Humeyra Pamuk

MUNICH (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive on Sunday in Turkey for an official go to and focus on how Washington can additional help Ankara because it grapples with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed tens of hundreds of individuals.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey’s southeast and neighboring Syria on Feb. 6, killing greater than 45,000 folks and leaving over 1,000,000 folks homeless together with an financial value anticipated to run into billions of {dollars}.

Additionally topping the agenda would be the stalled NATO bids of Sweden and Finland, which Turkey has thus far refused to ratify, saying Stockholm specifically has harbored what it calls members of terrorist teams. Ankara has not too long ago indicated it might approve solely Finland.

The highest U.S. diplomat will land at Incirlik Air Base within the southern province of Adana, from the place he’ll take a helicopter tour of the quake-struck space. He’ll then maintain bilateral talks on Monday together with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Blinken can be anticipated to fulfill with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, sources aware of the planning stated.

For the reason that earthquake, the US has despatched a search and rescue staff to Turkey, medical provides, concrete-breaking equipment, and extra funding of $85 million in humanitarian support that additionally covers Syria.

Blinken’s first go to to Turkey as secretary of state has been within the works for a while however comes two years after he took workplace, in stark distinction with a few of his predecessors together with Hillary Clinton and Rex Tillerson, who made the go to inside the first three months of their phrases.

The delay, analysts say, exhibits the strained nature of the connection, which has soured significantly since 2019 when Ankara acquired Russian missile protection methods. Whereas the US has praised Turkey for a few of its actions throughout Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it stays anxious over its shut relationship with Moscow, specialists say.

NATO DEADLOCK

Sweden and Finland utilized final yr to hitch the trans-Atlantic protection pact after Russia invaded Ukraine, however confronted surprising objections from Turkey and have since sought to win its help.

Ankara needs Helsinki and Stockholm specifically to take a harder line towards the Kurdistan Staff’ Get together (PKK), which is taken into account a terror group by Turkey and the European Union, and one other group it blames for a 2016 coup try.

In January, Erdogan stated he was open to ratifying solely Helsinki’s software.

Linked to the membership bids is Turkey’s need to purchase U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, a sale the U.S. Congress has objected to, until a minimum of Ankara offers the greenlight for the Nordic accession course of.

On Saturday, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen echoed that sentiment and stated permitting Finland to hitch the alliance alone wouldn’t be sufficient.

“There shall be no switch of F-16s if Erdogan continues to disclaim admission to Finland and Sweden … He would not get to have Finland in and the F-16s permitted and I feel that is a broad sentiment,” Van Hollen stated in an interview.

The Biden administration has repeatedly stated it helps the sale and whereas it has shunned linking the 2 points, it has acknowledged that the approval for the Nordic nations would have a optimistic influence amongst members of Congress.

Turkey has expressed its frustration that the problems are seen more and more linked. Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan’s chief overseas coverage advisor, stated final month he hoped the F-16 deal wouldn’t develop into “hostage” to the NATO memberships of Sweden and Finland.