Blinken, Turkish counterpart discussed U.S. assistance after earthquakes

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at United Nations headquarters in New York, U.S., May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Pool

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday, their second call in four days, to discuss how the United States can assist Turkey and Syria following devastating earthquakes this week, the State Department said.

"This was primarily an effort to garner from our Turkish allies what they would like to see from the United States," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters, adding that the United States expects it will have more to say on Turkey aid soon.