LOC01:26
22:26 GMT
WASHINGTON, June 29 (KUNA) -- US President Joe Biden met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the margins of NATO Summit in Madrid on Wednesday.
President Biden welcomed Turkiye's conclusion of a trilateral agreement with Finland and Sweden that paved the way for Allies to invite them to join NATO, according to readout of the meeting released by the White House.
"The leaders discussed their continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, as well as the importance of removing Russian obstacles to the export of Ukrainian grain.
"They also talked about the importance of maintaining stability in the Aegean and Syria," the WH statement noted.
President Biden reiterated his desire to maintain constructive bilateral relations, and the leaders agreed on the importance of continued close consultations between our governments, it added.
Ahead of the meeting, President Erdogan said, "I hope and pray that we will be able to establish a balance to diplomacy in order to cultivate positive results, especially with regards to the grain."
"There are countries deprived of the grains, and we will open corridors, and we will allow them to have access to the grains that they so need," the Turkish leader added. (end)
rsr.gb