US ambassador praises Türkiye as an 'indispensable ally'

The United States Ambassador to Türkiye has said Ankara is an indispensable ally, stressing that developing relations with the country is "essential" for American security, strength, and prosperity.

In a guest column for Deseret News, Jeff Flake wrote that Türkiye, which boasts the second-largest army in NATO, has a critical importance for the strength of the alliance and guarantees interoperability between allies in the future.

"Improved US-Türkiye relations advance a range of issues essential for American security, strength and prosperity," the envoy said.

Flake emphasised that the US Congress giving the green light for F-16 sales to Türkiye is crucial for both sides and symbolises the two countries’ commitment to a strong bilateral relationship, which is their collective self-interest.

"In addition to this $23 billion F-16 deal, Türkiye’s ongoing defence sector transformation – from drones and high-tech components to engines and artillery shells – is integral to the US defence supply chain and the strength of our NATO alliance," he wrote.

Noting that the geographical location of Türkiye, which connects Asia and Europe, also philosophically highlights the East-West divide, Flake said: "Similarly, while war rages in Ukraine to the north and ravages Gaza to the south, here sits Türkiye – once again, smack dab in the middle."

'US will continue to work collaboratively with Türkiye'

Flake also stressed that for the US, Türkiye is "unique in its ability to open conversations with our adversaries in ways and in places we simply cannot."

"For instance, Türkiye is well-placed to play a role in the resolution of the conflict in Gaza. Like the United States, Türkiye supports the establishment of a Palestinian state as the best pathway to a durable peace," he wrote.

The envoy noted that Türkiye has proven to be an alternative to China in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia.

While calling Ankara a powerful ally, Flake also said that there are issues on which the two sides disagree.

"Our approaches to countering Daesh do not always align, but Türkiye is an essential member of the anti-Daesh coalition. We will continue to work collaboratively on these and other difficult issues to bridge those gaps," he wrote.

"During my confirmation hearing in September of 2021, I said that Türkiye was an indispensable ally. Events since then have reaffirmed that this country – always in the middle of it – is just that," he added.

Flake concluded his piece by welcoming the decision by his former colleagues in Congress regarding F-16 sales, which offered an opportunity to revitalise the bilateral relationship between the US and Türkiye, saying: "They did the right thing."