Key facts
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in New York on Tuesday.
- The meeting marks the first encounter between Erdogan and Burnham since Burnham took office in July.
- The meeting occurs during the annual United Nations General Assembly debate.
- The UK recently announced sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements and accused Israel's government of enabling ethnic cleansing.
- Turkey and the UK signed a Strategic Partnership Framework in April and a security and defence partnership agreement in July.
- Erdogan is also expected to meet with other world leaders, including possible discussions with US President Donald Trump.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet with the UK's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, in New York on Tuesday, marking their first encounter since Burnham assumed office in July. The meeting is scheduled for the first day of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) debate.
Relations between Turkey and the UK have been described as "excellent," particularly following Ankara's decision last year to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon jets in a multibillion-dollar deal. The two nations solidified their ties with a Strategic Partnership Framework signed in April, aimed at enhancing dialogue and cooperation as NATO allies and strategic partners. This was further reinforced in July by a security and defence partnership agreement, which committed both countries to mutual support on all defence matters, including cooperation between their defence industries, counterterrorism, hybrid threats, and cybersecurity, according to a Turkish official.
Erdogan arrived in New York on Sunday and has a packed schedule of meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA. He is expected to meet with Mohamed al-Menfi, the chairman of Libya's Presidential Council, and Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled on Monday. On Tuesday, he is slated for his first bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Further engagements on Wednesday include meetings with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zayid.
Sources familiar with the planning indicate that additional meetings with heads of state may be added to Erdogan's agenda, including a potential pull-aside meeting with US President Donald Trump.