Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, aiming to secure significant defence and energy agreements with the United States, as reported by Bloomberg.

Turkish officials familiar with the plans said the deals could include purchases of Lockheed Martin Corp. fighter jets, Boeing Co. aircraft, and liquefied natural gas worth more than 50 billion US dollars, though the agreements have not been finalized.

The meeting marks Erdogan’s first White House visit in six years and comes as Ankara seeks to repair ties strained by previous arms acquisitions from Russia, retaliatory tariffs, and diplomatic tensions. Despite these challenges, Turkey remains dependent on US military and diplomatic support to sustain its regional influence, and investors see its role in NATO as crucial for the development of the Middle East’s largest economy. Following the announcement of the visit last week, Turkish government bonds and stocks have risen in anticipation of a diplomatic thaw.

“Erdogan wants to leverage the Trump presidency to reshape and improve Turkey-US relations, with a focus on improving defence ties,” said Emre Peker, Europe director at the London-based Eurasia Group. “The energy and defence deals Erdogan is pursuing are key pillars of a mutually beneficial, transactional relationship that would also appeal to Trump’s dealmaking instincts.”

The two leaders’ relationship has seen significant strain since their last White House meeting in November 2019. That year, Trump pledged to withdraw US troops from Syria, prompting Turkey to launch a military incursion against US-backed Kurdish forces. The move triggered sanctions on several Turkish cabinet ministers and brought the alliance close to collapse. A temporary pause in the fighting, brokered by then–Vice President Mike Pence, allowed American-backed forces to withdraw from the Turkish line of fire.

Six years on, including a full Democratic administration in which Turkey was largely sidelined, both Erdogan and Trump stand to gain from renewed engagement. Turkey aims to meet some of its military and energy needs through the United States, offering Trump an opportunity for a high-profile trade win.