Turkiye remains firmly anchored in the West and its partnership with the United States has never been stronger even as the sides remain split on Israel’s war in Gaza, US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake told Reuters.

Flake, set to leave his post this autumn, said Turkiye’s endorsement of Nato enlargement and a deal to sell US F-16s signalled Ankara’s tilt to the West this year and set the stage for lasting momentum in trade and investment.

“The strategic partnership has never been stronger and we’re in a good place,” Flake, 61, said in the interview at his residence in Ankara.

Flake said that despite Turkiye’s strong economic, commercial and energy ties with Russia, the war in Ukraine highlighted its commitment to Nato and the West.

He added that bipartisan sentiment toward Turkiye in the US Congress had turned positive this year, and that would continue irrespective of the US election outcome in November.

“They’re firmly anchored in the West.”