Erdogan says Saudi crown prince to visit as ties warm

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince will visit Turkey next week for talks aimed at improving ties, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. 

The trip could also deliver a boost to Turkey’s deteriorating economy. It comes after years of regional rivalry, exacerbated by the killing of columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

“We will find the opportunity to discuss how to elevate bilateral ties to a much higher level,” Erdogan said in Istanbul after Friday prayers. He said he would welcome Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, at the presidential palace in Ankara on June 22. 

Bloomberg had reported about the planned visit earlier Friday. There was no immediate confirmation of the trip in Saudi state media and Saudi officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Turkish leader is working to improve relations with Riyadh and other regional capitals as he aims to boost trade and lure investment. Turkish inflation has surged above 70%, threatening to strip away support for the longtime Turkish leader and his party ahead of elections scheduled for next year.

The rapprochement with Saudi Arabia gained impetus after Turkey ended its trial of suspects accused in the killing of Khashoggi and transferred the case to the kingdom in April. 

The warmer ties also come as part of a broader realignment in the Middle East and ahead of a trip by US President Joe Biden to Saudi Arabia next month, where he will hold talks with the crown prince.