ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, April 28. According to agencies, Erdogan, during his visit to the Kingdom, will meet with Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense. It is worth mentioning that the Turkish president had previously, in February, announced that Turkey has a desire to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. In press statements, Erdogan indicated that he wanted to enhance and strengthen the relationship between his country and the Kingdom. This is in addition to his desire to advance a positive dialogue with Saudi Arabia in the coming period and to develop the process in a positive way. Last February, the Turkish president visited the United Arab Emirates on a first official visit in nearly a decade. It is noteworthy that the exports from Turkey to Saudi Arabia have plunged in recent years due to the fraught ties between the countries. Turkey is now working to mend relations with regional powers, including the UAE, as its economy grapples with a currency crash and soaring inflation. Amid growing isolation, Ankara has made overtures in 2020 to mend ties with several countries, including Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It has also approached many Gulf States for economic support as it faces soaring inflation and a surge in energy prices following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
