Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Brussels today for talks with NATO officials, one week after reversing a decision to skip the negotiations. The NATO trip comes on the heels of Tillerson’s visit to Turkey, where he heaped praise on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: “In the United States, the people of Turkey have a trusted ally and a partner who is committed to its safety and security and advancing economic opportunity. We look forward to approaching these challenges together, and the Trump administration will continue to build ties with this long-standing ally and our friend.”

Tillerson’s praise for Turkey comes as the nation is set to hold a referendum on a constitutional overhaul that would give sweeping powers to President Erdogan and extend his presidency to 2029. The measure would enable the president to issue decrees, declare emergency rule, appoint ministers and top state officials, and dissolve parliament.