US President Donald Trump congratulated on Tuesday Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his victory in Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections. The two leaders agreed to improve bilateral defense and security ties, Erdogan’s office said in a statement. In their phone conversation, Trump and Erdogan emphasized the need to implement the endorsed plan on the northern Syrian city of Manbij and agreed to work together in the fight against terrorism, it added Ties between the NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues in recent months, including Washington’s support for Kurdish fighters in Syria and defense procurements. Earlier this month, Ankara and Washington agreed on a plan for the withdrawal of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units from Manbij, a move long sought by Ankara. Turkey views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization. Trump and Erdogan will meet in Brussels for a NATO summit on July 11-12, the statement added. Erdogan won a fresh five-year term in Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday, also securing sweeping new powers under a constitutional overhaul approved by a narrow majority of Turks in a referendum last year.