Macron Says he Discussed Syria, Libya with Turkey's Erdogan

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks during a news conference ahead of the G7 Summit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 10, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/Pool

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday discussed the need to work together on tackling problems in Syria and Libya, Macron's office said.

Macron and Erdogan met at the NATO summit in Brussels.

US President Joe Biden will also meet with Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit.

Biden has known Erdogan for years but their relationship has frequently been contentious. Biden, during his campaign, drew ire from Turkish officials after he described Erdogan as an “autocrat." In April, Biden infuriated Ankara by declaring that the Ottoman-era mass killing and deportations of Armenians was “genocide" — a term that US presidents have avoided using.

The two leaders were expected to discuss Syria and Iran as well as what role Turkey can play on Afghanistan following the US troop withdrawal, according to the White House. Also on the agenda: how Washington and Ankara “deal with some of our significant differences on values and human rights and other issues,” Sullivan said.

The unsettled security situation in Libya, as well as overlapping concerns on China and Russia are also expected to be discussed.

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