A political episode involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who wanted to hug Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in greeting, but he took a step back. The Turkish media, through the mouths of their experts, advise Blinken to “keep a social distance.”
A video of the meeting was distributed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The footage shows: after shaking hands, Blinken tries to hug Fidan, taking a step forward. However, the Turkish minister is taking a step back.
Public figures in Turkey commented on the video. Thus, the famous journalist Zafer Shahin advised Blinken to “keep social distance.” And the Sabah newspaper called the incident a “shock” for Blinken. “These moments were reflected on Blinken’s face,” the publication writes.
Earlier, Turkish media drew attention to the absence of high-ranking officials among those who met Blinken in Ankara. At night, he was met at the airport only by the US Ambassador and the deputy mayor of the capital.