Saudi Arabia and Turkey Sign Agreements in Energy and Defense Sectors

Saudi Arabia and Turkey have signed a number of memoranda of understanding in various fields, including energy, direct investment, and defense. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements between the two countries. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman tweeted today that Saudi Arabia has signed two contracts with Turkish defense industries company Baykar to purchase drones "to enhance the readiness of the armed forces and strengthen the kingdom's defense and manufacturing capabilities." The minister added that the two countries have also signed a defense cooperation plan. The Saudi news agency reported that Erdogan met with the Saudi Crown Prince late on Monday. Erdogan had arrived in the kingdom earlier that day at the beginning of a Gulf tour, which he has "great hopes" for in terms of attracting investments and financing to ease pressure on the budget, reduce chronic inflation, and overcome currency weakness. Erdogan’s Gulf tour, which also includes Qatar and the UAE, is set to conclude on July 19.