Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz on Thursday received US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack at the Presidential Complex.

In a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Yilmaz said the talks focused on strengthening relations between Türkiye and the US, expanding cooperation in concrete areas, and exchanging views on recent developments in the region.

According to the statement, the two sides reviewed economic and trade relations, as well as issues related to the defense industry, including US sanctions on Türkiye under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Turkiye has said such sanctions, which have hindered sales of US fighter jets, are not befitting relations between allies.

Yilmaz said the meeting also included an exchange of views on recent developments in Iran and Syria, and on regional and global issues within the framework of second two of the Gaza peace plan.