AP ankara

The US approved the sale of $304 million-worth of missiles to Turkey as the NATO allies work to strengthen trade and defense ties.

The deal, which still needs Congressional sign-off, came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Turkey to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Thursday. Turkey has requested 53 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles at an estimated cost of $225 million and 60 Block II missiles at $79.1 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said. The RTX Corporation will be the principal contractor for the sales.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been looking for a tentative meeting with US President Donald Trump to reset strained relations stemming from Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile-defense system and Washington’s support for a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey views as a threat to the country, among other disputes.

Turkey and the US have been holding talks over the integration of the US-backed Kurdish forces, who have links to a separatist Turkish group, the PKK, into a new Syrian army. Earlier this week, the PKK announced it would lay down its arms to end a 40-year war for autonomy against Turkey, a historic step that could strengthen Ankara’s aspirations to become a regional powerhouse.

The US and Turkey have the two largest armies in NATO, giving them good reason to maintain their seven-decade alliance. As the Pentagon plans to consolidate operations in Syria and draw down troops to less than 1,000, Ankara is offering several thousand Turkish soldiers already stationed across the border to help stabilize its war-ravaged neighbour. At the same time, Turkey is prepared to assist in monitoring a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine across the Black Sea, in line with the US goal of stabilizing the region.