“We’re planning to have a good conversation,” Biden said as the leaders appeared in front of journalists before nearly an hour of closed-door talks.
The envoys, including the U.S., French and German representatives, had previously issued a statement seeking to resolve the case of Osman Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist held in prison since 2017 despite not having been convicted of a crime.
Turkey is also interested in purchasing American-made F-16 fighter aircraft, but Biden was “very clear” with Erdogan that there is a process such sales must go through, a senior Biden administration official told reporters after the meeting, which took place as world leaders are in Rome for the Group of 20 nations summit.