Armenian prime minister to meet Erdogan in rare visit to Turkey aimed at mending ties
ISTANBUL (AP) — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday as part of the two countries' efforts to normalize ties that were strained over historic disputes and Turkey's alliance with Azerbaijan.
The talks between the two countries, which have no formal diplomatic ties, were expected to center on the possible reopening of their joint border as well as the war between Israel and Iran.
Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, shut down its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Baku, which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
In 2020, Turkey strongly backed Azerbaijan in the six-week conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan gain control of a significant part of the region.
Turkey and Armenia also have a more than century-old dispute over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey.
Historians widely view the event as genocide. Turkey vehemently rejects the label, conceding that many died in that era but insisting that the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest.
The rare visit by an Armenian leader comes after Ankara and Yerevan agreed in 2021 to launch efforts toward normalizing ties and appointed special representatives to lead talks.
Pashinyan previously visited Turkey in 2023 when he attended a presidential inauguration ceremony following an election victory by Erdogan. The two have also held talks on the sideline of a meeting in Prague in 2022.
It is Ankara and Yerevan's second attempt at reconciliation. Turkey and Armenia reached an agreement in 2009 to establish formal relations and to open their border, but the deal was never ratified because of strong opposition from Azerbaijan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
15 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Putin boasts about Russia's economy despite recession fears
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin on Friday hailed Russia's economic outlook, saying it has managed to curb inflation and ease its reliance on energy exports. His optimistic account in a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum contrasted with somber statements by some members of his government who warned at the same conference that Russia could face a recession. Economic Minister Maxim Reshetnikov had said Thursday that the country is 'on the brink of going into a recession.'
The Hill
16 minutes ago
- The Hill
Putin boasts about Russia's economy despite recession fears
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Friday hailed Russia's economic outlook, saying it has managed to curb inflation and ease its reliance on energy exports. His optimistic account in a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum contrasted with somber statements by some members of his government who warned at the same conference that Russia could face a recession. Economic Minister Maxim Reshetnikov had said Thursday that the country is 'on the brink of going into a recession.' Putin mentioned the recession warnings, but emphasized that 'it mustn't be allowed.' He pointed out that manufacturing industries have posted steady growth, allowing the country to reduce its reliance on oil and gas exports. 'The perception of Russian economy as based on raw materials and dependent on hydrocarbons exports have clearly become outdated,' Putin said, adding that the economy grew by 1.5% in the first four months of 2025 and inflation has dropped from double digits to 9.6%. Putin has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic prowess and encourage foreign investment, but Western executives have shunned it after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The economy, hit with a slew of Western sanctions, has so far outperformed predictions. High defense spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fueling inflation. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country's poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments pose threats to the economy. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military.
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Is Backsliding
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's approval rating is backsliding, according to new polling. The RealClearPolitics' polling average shows that as of June 17, Trump's approval stands at 46.5 percent, with 51 percent disapproving—a decline from June 3, when he held a narrower gap at 47.5 percent approval to 49.7 percent disapproval. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on June 18, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on June 18, 2025, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP Why It Matters RealClearPolitics includes several pollsters that tend to show more favorable results for Trump, such as Rasmussen Reports. The dip suggests growing discontent, even within a polling mix that has historically leaned more Republican-friendly. What To Know Multiple polls have shown a downward trend in Trump's approval rating in recent days. That includes Newsweek's tracker, which shows Trump's net approval rating at -4 points, with 47 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving. That is down from earlier this month when Trump's net approval rating sat at -2 for more than a week. Rasmussen's daily poll tracker also put Trump's ratings down from last week, when his net approval peaked at +8 points. It now stands at +5 points, with 52 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. Meanwhile, the latest YouGov/Economist poll, conducted between June 13-16 among 1,512 adults, put Trump's approval rating at 41 percent, down 2 points since last week, with 54 percent disapproving, up 2 points. The latest Morning Consult poll, conducted between June 13-15 among 2,207 registered voters, put Trump's approval rating at 46 percent, down from 47 percent last week, with 52 percent disapproving, up from 51 percent. And in the latest J.L. Partners poll, conducted on June 16-17, Trump's approval held steady at 46 percent. But disapproval was up 11 points to 51 percent since their last poll in February. Approval also held steady in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll (June 11-16) at 42 percent, but his disapproval rose by 2 points to 54 percent. A HarrisX/Harvard survey, on June 11-12, registered a more noticeable shift as approval slipped to 46 percent, down from 47 percent in May, while disapproval rose to 50 percent from 48 percent. Still, a handful of polls recorded slight gains for Trump, though largely within the margin of error. In the latest Echelon Insights poll (June 17-18) and Fox News poll (June 13-16), Trump approval rating was up 2 points, while disapproval was down by 1 point compared to last month. An Insider Advantage poll, conducted on June 15-16 among 1,000 likely voters, put his approval rating at 54 percent, with 44 percent disapproving, giving him a net approval rating of +10 points. That was virtually unchanged from May. The latest Clarity Campaign Labs poll, which put Trump's approval rating at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapproved, was also virtually unchanged. What Happens Next Trump's approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of key events.
