US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek to take stronger action against the abuse of Turkey’s financial system by US-designated Russian actors and terrorist organizations during a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, according to a statement from the US Treasury Department.

The discussion, which included Turkish Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, reflected growing American concerns over financial loopholes amid ongoing sanctions enforcement and geopolitical tensions.

Secretary Bessent also pressed Şimşek for clarity on Ankara’s strategy to address persistent market volatility and an uncertain economic outlook.

The Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance, in its own statement, emphasized the “constructive” tone of the meeting and pointed to shared political will — expressed by both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and former US President Donald Trump — to expand cooperation. Ankara outlined opportunities for collaboration in trade, investment, energy and the defense sector while reiterating its call for the removal of restrictions that hinder defense industry partnerships.

Turkey also raised broader geopolitical issues, advocating for the lifting of US sanctions on Syria and offering proposals for how Ankara could support a ceasefire and peace process in Ukraine.

The visit comes amid Turkey’s ongoing efforts to stabilize its economy and attract foreign investment following months of political and market turbulence, including the March arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key opposition figure. Şimşek has repeatedly stressed that Turkey’s current economic program, centered on tighter monetary policy and structural reforms, would remain unchanged.