ANKARA (Reuters). – A former Republican U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. After presenting President Tayyip Erdan with his confidence letter, Senator Jeff Flake was officially made U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.

Flake, who was vocally critical of Trump in his tenure as President of the Senate in 2013-2019, arrived in Ankara this month to take over from David Satterfield (now U.S. Special Ambassador for the Horn of Africa).

As NATO member states and Western countries consider their responses to Russia in case of military action against Ukraine, he begins his job. Ankara, which is near Moscow and Kyiv, offered mediation and opposed sanctions to Russia.

Washington’s relations with Ankara has deteriorated over the years due to issues like Turkey’s purchase Russian S-400 system, civil and judicial rights cases and differences regarding Syria and the east Mediterranean.

Trump and Erdogan enjoyed warm personal connections, so President Joe Biden adopted a cooler approach toward Turkey. His first step in the White House was to recognize the massacre of Armenians in 1915 as genocide, a move that angered Turkey.

Since then, the governments have tried to put differences aside, and they are currently in discussions over conflicts in Libya and Ethiopia, and Afghanistan. Turkey has been discussing possible operations of Kabul’s international Airport with Qatar.