U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Ankara on Thursday for discussions with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, as part of a regional visit focusing on pressing geopolitical issues.

Blinken was welcomed at the airport by Ambassador Ahmet Cemil Miroğlu, director general of the Turkish Foreign Ministry's Protocol Department; Michael Goldman, charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara; and other officials.

His visit to Türkiye follows a stop in Jordan and is part of a diplomatic tour aimed at addressing critical regional developments.

Having visited Jordan prior to his arrival in Türkiye, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Fidan on Friday. The discussions are expected to focus on the transition process following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria and the country's political process, as well as a possible cease-fire agreement in Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of State.

The upcoming discussions build upon recent phone calls between Fidan and Blinken on December 7 and 10, during which they addressed developments in Syria.

Blinken's visit underscores continued diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Türkiye on regional stability and humanitarian issues. Further updates on the outcomes of the meeting are anticipated. (ILKHA)