Erdogan and Biden meet at G20 summit to discuss 'trade and security' issues

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden discussed bilateral relations, including trade and security issues, on the sidelines of a G20 summit, the Turkish presidency said on Tuesday.

It said Biden offered his condolences for those who died in a bomb attack in Istanbul on Sunday, and told Erdogan that his administration would continue to support Turkey in its bid to procure F-16 fighter jets.

Biden also said Turkey is an important actor in Sweden's NATO accession bid, and thanked Erdogan for his role in the resumption of a grain export deal between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish presidency said. 

Turkey originally blocked Sweden and Finland's bid over what it saw as the countries' support for Kurdish "terrorist" groups. After negogations, including possible extradition orders, the bids were accepted. 

Ankara has also been involved in the formation of a critical Black Sea deal which allowed for the movement of Ukrainian ships out of the sea strait and into the global market. 

At the G20 summit, a draft declaration, seen by world leaders, issued "strong condemned" over Russia's invasion of Ukraine for exacerbating the global energy crisis. 

[Reuters]