Erdogan says bilateral talks with Trump likely at NATO summit in Turkey

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Turkish President Erdogan announced the likelihood of bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump during the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey, amidst alliance tensions concerning burden-sharing, defense spending, and strategic issues in the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions.

ANKARA, June 24 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that he would "most likely" hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump when the U.S. leader comes to Ankara for a NATO summit next month. Turkey will host 32 NATO leaders, as well as officials from the alliance's partners in the Gulf and Asia-Pacific region, on July 7-8 amid tensions within the alliance over burden-sharing, defence spending, and U.S. complaints over allies' involvement on re-opening the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Iran war.