UAE leader visits Turkey, emphasizing shift from rivalry to regional alignment
The presidents of Turkey and the UAE discussed ways to deepen cooperation on trade, defense and regional diplomacy as both nations navigate new opportunities amid shifting balances in the Middle East.
ANKARA/WASHINGTON — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on Wednesday in the first such since July 2023, during which they signed agreements to expand their once-fraught bilateral ties and amid shifting regional dynamics that present new opportunities for both countries.
Sheikh Mohammed arrived in Ankara around 3 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET), leading a high-level delegation. The Emirati delegation included Interior Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Presidential Court Deputy Chairman Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed and presidential advisor Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon, according to the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency.
From the Turkish side, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Economy Minister Mehmet Simsek and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joined the talks, along with other senior officials.
Following nearly four hours of meetings, Erdogan and his Emirati counterpart oversaw the signing of seven memorandums of understanding covering cooperation in tourism, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.
