Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington continues, according to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulkadir Selvi, confirmed the ongoing preparations for the visit. While there is no official information that it will not take place, Erdogan has not refused to visit and both sides are continuing their preparations. The visit is expected to occur on May 9th.

Prior reports from Turkish media stated that President Joe Biden will not meet with Erdogan during his visit. Selvi mentioned that some American political groups are attempting to prevent the visit, with American lobbyists believing that Erdogan’s recent meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh could influence Biden’s decision on supporting Azerbaijani military operations. Selvi stated that Haniyeh’s meetings with American lobbyists are aimed at disrupting Erdogan’s visit, and this announcement aims to narrow down Erdogan’s timeline.

According to Selvi, US supporters have not made an official announcement regarding Erdogan’s visit. The May 9th date was initially reported by Hurriyet and confirmed by Turkish and American authorities during their meeting with Reuters. Turkey’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Hakan Fidan, announced that Erdogan’s visit and meetings were planned for the beginning of May.

These developments come amidst other news from Armenia.