Turkey's Erdogan visits Saudi Arabia to mend strained ties
ABC News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has landed in Saudi Arabia as part of his country's latest efforts to build bridges with its key regional rival
ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan landed in Saudi Arabia on Thursday evening in a major reset of relations between two regional heavyweights following the slaying of a Saudi columnist in Istanbul.
The visit marks the latest in Ankara’s bridge-building efforts with its key regional rival. It is also Erdogan’s first visit to the kingdom since 2017, the year before the murder in Turkey of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents.
Erdogan was greeted at the airport in the Red Sea city of Jiddah by the Mecca governor. Official photos released by the Saudi Press Agency and the kingdom's Media Ministry showed Turkey's leader accompanied by his wife upon landing.
Earlier this month, Turkey dropped the trial of 26 Saudis suspected of involvement in the killing of Khashoggi, who'd written columns critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for The Washington Post. The move was largely seen as a gesture that paved the way for Erdogan's trip to Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to meet with both King Salman and the crown prince.
