Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country’s ties with the United States would improve with Donald Trump as the president, The Independent reported. In what appears to be a reference to the countries’ roles in the Syrian war, Erdogan expressed hope that the nations would “reach a consensus” when Trump takes over as president.

“I believe we will accelerate dialogue when Mr Trump takes office,” said Erdogan. His statements, along with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s congratulatory message to Trump, indicate a thawing of relations between the two countries.

Cavusoglu had said Trump might consider Turkey’s request for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric accused of organising a failed coup in Turkey in July 2016. Gulen, who moved to Pennsylvania in 1999, has denied any role in the incident.

Bilateral relations have suffered during the six-year war in Syria, where Washington backed the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers to be part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK.