ANKARA: In a significant move aimed at bolstering their diplomatic ties, Turkiye and the US recently conducted extensive joint military exercises, marked by the momentous visit of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy’s cutting-edge aircraft carrier, to the Turkish port city of Antalya.

The joint military exercises, the most extensive in at least seven years, carry notable implications against the backdrop of an impending meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart, Joe Biden, next month.

The USS Gerald R. Ford’s voyage to Antalya, following its stops in Oslo, Norway; Split, Croatia; and Piraeus, Greece, showcased the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation.

As the largest and newest aircraft carrier in the US Navy’s fleet, the vessel’s visit carries symbolic weight. Turkish naval ships including TCG Anadolu, Goksu, Gediz, Imbat, Meltem, Burakreis, as well as Turkish air force assets like F-16s, KC-135s, and P-72s, engaged in pre-arrival collaborative exercises with the Gerald R. Ford Strike Group, underscoring mutual commitment to Mediterranean security and bolstering partner interoperability.

“The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group operated with our partners in the Turkish navy and air force, executing a series of multi-domain exercises prior to our arrival in Antalya,” said Rear Adm. Erik J. Eslich, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 12.

“The exercises strengthened the bond we share with Turkiye and enhanced our common understanding of maritime tactics and procedures advancing interoperability objectives. Additionally, our collective efforts reinforce our shared goals of promoting peace and stability in the region.”

Amidst this display of unity, the USS Mount Whitney, a US 6th Fleet Command Ship, visited Istanbul, while the USS Normandy, a guided-missile cruiser, arrived at Aksaz. These sequential visits to Turkish ports highlight the comprehensive nature of the two nations’ military cooperation.

As the Gerald R. Ford remains anchored off the coast of Antalya, the vessel will extend its hospitality to local officials and military leaders, further underscoring the enduring bonds between Washington and Ankara.

Beyond its immediate symbolism, this collaborative effort stands as a testament to the ongoing pursuit of maritime stability and security, serving as a deterrent and reinforcing collective defense commitments.

Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara office director of German Marshall Fund of the US, thinks that on the one hand the joint exercise is normal as the two countries are NATO allies with a long-standing security partnership, but it also points to efforts at normalization of the strained partnership between the two allies.

He told Arab News: “The fact that Selcuk Bayraktar, the chairman of Baykar, the company that manufactures the Bayraktar drones, and son-in-law of President Erdogan, visited USS Gerald R. Ford and posted his photo from the aircraft carrier on social media has strengthened the political aspect of the exercise.”

This closer alignment is poised to project influence both regionally and globally. Turkiye’s recent decision to withdraw opposition to Sweden’s NATO membership was met with appreciation by the US.

The move reflects a diplomatic thaw, exemplified by Biden’s acknowledgment of Erdogan’s “courage” in supporting Sweden’s bid during the NATO summit in Vilnius. This conciliatory gesture has spurred hopes in Ankara of reciprocity, potentially leading to a reversal of US objections to Turkiye’s procurement of F-16 fighter jets.

The US Congress had previously hindered such sales following Turkiye’s acquisition of Russian S-400 missile systems in 2017.

According to Unluhisarcikli, resolution of the S-400 crisis, suspension of the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act in reference to Turkiye, and Ankara’s return to the F-35 program as a buyer if not as a joint manufacturer could be future steps.

“Within this framework, a visit by President Erdogan to Washington would not be surprising,” he said.

In the meantime, a President Vladimir Putin-Erdogan head-to-head meeting now looks likely to be in Sochi in Russia in the near future, the ruling Justice and Development Party spokesperson Omer Celik said on Tuesday.

But, for Unluhisarcikli, Turkiye’s joint exercise with the US by itself is not a signal to Russia.

He said: “Ankara and Washington are treaty allies and there is nothing more natural than the two holding joint exercises. However, the bigger picture tells us that the Russia-Turkiye relationship is no longer a rose garden.”

Russia’s suspension of the Astana Process; Turkiye’s return of the Azov commanders to Ukraine; Russia withdrawing its veto to the condemnation of Turkiye at the UN Security Council regarding recent incidents on the divided island of Cyprus; President Erdogan’s telephone call to Putin during the Wagner mutiny where he fell short of condemning Wagner; and recent reassertions by Erdogan and other officials on Crimea being part of Ukraine point in this direction, according to Unluhisarcikli.

He thinks that the nature of the Turkiye-Russia relationship is competitive cooperation and the two draw closer when both of them feel excluded or targeted by the West, but when one of them has better relations with the West, competition takes over cooperation.

Unluhisarcikli said: “The Turkiye-Russia rapprochement process happened at a time when Turkiye was diplomatically isolated and Erdogan felt vulnerable after the failed coup attempt. But neither is true any longer.

“Turkiye is no longer diplomatically isolated as it normalized relations with Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, reduced tensions with Greece and therefore the EU, and it exchanged positive messages with its allies during the NATO summit in Vilnius.

“And after retaining his office in the recent presidential elections, after which many Western leaders called him immediately to congratulate, Erdogan is far from being vulnerable.”

Therefore, he added, Turkiye does not have the intention to suspend its cooperation with Russia, but a negative reaction to Turkiye’s normalization of its relationship with its treaty allies could lead to that unintended consequence.

Rich Outzen, senior fellow at Atlantic Council and Jamestown Foundation, said it is a positive practical step from both sides to raise the profile of bilateral military, in this case naval, cooperation.

He told Arab News: “Especially given the naval dimension to the Ukraine conflict, this is an effective deterrent message to Russia from both Washington and Ankara.

“It may indicate a broader signal on warming ties more generally, and reflects some of the fruits of Turkish diplomatic efforts to repair ties with the West.”