RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Riyadh on Tuesday, his first visit in more than two years, as ties warm between Saudi Arabia and its rival-turned-ally.

Ankara hopes to “finalize negotiations toward a free trade agreement between Turkey and the member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),” the Turkish presidency said.

“The two sides agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the fields of oil, petroleum products, and petrochemicals,” as well as in “electricity and renewable energy… building on Saudi Arabia’s massive energy investments”, the statement added.

Ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have steadily recovered in recent years, with the countries cooperating on a range of diplomatic issues.

This includes support for Gaza and backing Syria’s new government in the wake of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

Erdogan was expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the visit, his first to the kingdom since July 2023, which was part of a Gulf trip aimed at drumming up investments.

Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu........

© The Times of Israel