Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Gen. Metin Gürak at the Ministry of National Defense, and the Turkish Head of Navy Adm. Ercument Tatlıoğlu at the Turkish Navy Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, June 3.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Gen. Metin Gürak at the Ministry of National Defense, and the Turkish Head of Navy Adm. Ercument Tatlıoğlu at the Turkish Navy Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, June 3.
Franchetti highlighted that Türkiye is a longstanding and valued NATO Ally and that the U.S. values our strong bilateral relationship. Franchetti further expressed gratitude for Türkiye's ongoing regional stabilization initiatives, and shared that she looks forward to increased collaboration in the future.
The leaders also discussed opportunities to maximize cooperation on Black Sea security, particularly de-mining efforts. U.S. and Turkish Navies operate and train together continuously, including various interoperability exercises between their two newest large-deck ships, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and Türkiye's TCG Anadolu.
This is the first time Franchetti has met with Güler as the Chief of Naval Operations. This was also the first time Franchetti has met with Gürak as the CNO; the two leaders last met when Franchetti visited Türkiye as Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, in 2019.
Franchetti last met with Tatlıoğlu in September 2023 at the International Seapower Symposium, in Newport, R.I.
