Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have pledged to mend fences, vowing to put an end to a feud between the two regional heavyweights that has erupted since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Erdogan met with the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on his first visit since the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate in 2018, which strained relations between the two countries.

On Thursday, the Saudi state news agency SPA published photos of Erdogan hugging Prince Mohammed, who US intelligence agencies say approved the plan against Khashoggi, which Riyadh denies.

The pair “reviewed the Saudi-Turkish relations and ways to develop them in all fields”, SPA reported.

A separate sit-down with King Salman, the crown prince’s father, was also photographed and released by Turkish official media.

Erdogan paid a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Muslim holy city, on Friday, surrounded by thousands of pilgrims and a substantial security presence.

The trip occurred as Turkey, which is in the midst of an economic crisis brought on by the fall of its currency and rising inflation, seeks financial assistance from energy-rich Gulf nations.

– ‘Mutual interest’ – Erdogan stated before going to Saudi Arabia that he aimed to “start a new chapter” in bilateral relations.

“We believe enhancing cooperation in areas including defense and finance is in our mutual interest,” Erdogan said.

Saudi agents killed and dismembered Khashoggi, an insider turned critic, in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate in October 2018. His remains have never been found.

The gruesome act risked isolating Saudi Arabia, and especially Prince Mohammed while escalating Riyadh’s regional rivalry with Ankara.

Turkey infuriated the Saudis by pressing ahead with an investigation into the murder of The Washington Post contributing columnist. Erdogan said the “highest levels” of the Saudi government ordered the killing.

Saudi Arabia responded by unofficially putting pressure on Turkey’s economy through a boycott of Turkish imports.

However, trade between the two countries has gradually improved, and Erdogan said in January that he would visit Saudi Arabia.

An Istanbul court suspended the trial of 26 Saudi suspects related to Khashoggi’s death in his absence earlier this month, moving the matter to Riyadh.

Human rights activists and Khashoggi’s widow, Hatice Cengiz, were outraged by the Turkish ruling and pledged to take it to a higher court.

– ‘Vindication,’ you say? –
The fallout from the murder of Jamal Khashoggi continues to tarnish Saudi Arabia’s reputation, particularly in the United States.

According to Saudi political expert Ali Shihabi, Erdogan’s visit will be hailed as a victory by Saudi leaders eager to move on.

Erdogan’s visit will be seen as a win by Saudi officials keen to move on, said Saudi political analyst Ali Shihabi.

“Of course it is a vindication,” Shihabi said. “Erdogan was isolated and paid a high economic price in massive economic losses resulting from an economic and travel boycott, which is why he is the one coming to Saudi”.

Both countries stand to benefit, he added, as Erdogan “needs the trade and tourism flows from Saudi, and Saudi would prefer to have him ‘on side’ on a variety of regional issues — and may be open to buy arms from Turkey.”

Economic interests are “a major, major driver” of Erdogan’s visit, said Dina Esfandiary, senior Middle East adviser for the International Crisis Group.

“It looks like Turkey’s forgotten about Khashoggi, and I’m sure the Saudis appreciate that,” Esfandiary said.

Turkey has experienced a 60 percent annual inflation rate and a wave of winter street protests, both of which have harmed Erdogan’s popularity ahead of next year’s general election.

Erdogan is now seeking support from Gulf countries, with whom he has had a tense relationship since the Arab Spring revolts a decade ago.

For the first time in nearly a decade, he visited the United Arab Emirates in February and urged affluent business executives to invest in Turkey.

Erdogan last visited Saudi Arabia in 2017, when he attempted to mediate a disagreement between the kingdom and other Gulf states over Qatar.