ANKARA: United States President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday pledged to strengthen bilateral ties as they held talks in Ankara ahead of the key NATO summit, with discussions focusing on trade, defence cooperation, Iran, and regional security.
Thanking Erdoğan for the warm welcome extended to him, Trump said it was an honour to be in Turkey alongside the Turkish leader. “We will discuss trade, the military and many other issues today,” Trump told reporters before the NATO meeting.
Earlier, Trump received a ceremonial welcome in Ankara on Tuesday ahead of a NATO summit, where alliance leaders are expected to grapple with defence spending, Europe’s security, the war in Ukraine, tensions over Iran, and the future of the transatlantic alliance.
Erdoğan personally welcomed Trump on the tarmac at Etimesgut Air Base, reflecting the close relationship between the two leaders at a time when Turkey is seeking to strengthen its strategic position within NATO.
The visit marks Trump’s first trip to Turkey during his two presidential terms. The visit marks the first official trip to Turkey by a US president in 11 years.
Barack Obama was the last US president to visit the country officially in 2015. Before Trump’s visit, US presidents had made only five official visits to Turkey since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
A ceremonial guard of honour greeted the US president on a distinctive turquoise – blue carpet — a nod to Turkish tradition — before Trump headed for talks with Erdoğan ahead of the alliance’s leaders’ dinner that formally opens the summit.
Calling Erdoğan “a good friend” and a “strong leader,” Trump said the two countries enjoyed excellent relations, adding that Turkey had remained “more loyal than many other countries.”
“This is an honour to be here with President Erdoğan,” he said. “Turkey has been a very loyal ally.”
Trump said the two leaders would also discuss Iran, claiming that Tehran’s nuclear capability had been eliminated.
“We will also talk about Iran,” he said, adding that the United States had destroyed Iran’s nuclear capability, a move he argued had helped protect European countries.
He also said a decision would be made regarding Turkey’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet programme, one of the most contentious issues in US-Turkey defence relations.
Despite attending the alliance summit, Trump criticised NATO, saying he remained disappointed with the military alliance.
He also singled out Italy, France and Germany, saying they had let Washington down.
“NATO offered assistance after the war ended,” he added, without elaborating.
Erdoğan expressed confidence that Trump’s visit would further strengthen relations between Turkey and the United States.
“This visit by President Trump will add new strength to our bilateral relationship,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president said the two leaders would discuss efforts to promote peace and stability, including developments related to Iran and the war in Gaza.
“We will do whatever we can to help establish peace regarding Iran and the United States,” Erdoğan said.
He added that Turkey was working closely with its international partners to reduce regional tensions and promote peace, stressing that securing a ceasefire in Gaza would be among the key issues discussed during the meeting.
“A ceasefire in Gaza is of utmost importance,” Erdoğan said.