United States President Donald Trump hosted his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for a bilateral meeting at the White House on Thursday. The leaders’ first in-person meeting since 2019 took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and covered a wide range of topics, including the ongoing war in Gaza, the conflict in Ukraine, and the future of military and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Leaders Express Commitment to Strong Ties
Both leaders sought to portray their relationship in a positive light despite recent strains in US-Turkiye relations, particularly over Turkiye’s trade with Russia. In a joint news conference, President Trump described Erdogan as a “highly respected man” and praised his strong opinions. President Erdogan, in turn, expressed his pleasure at returning to the White House and his hope to elevate Turkiye-US relations to “a much different level.”
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Progress on Gaza Peace Efforts
A central point of discussion was the war in Gaza. The meeting followed a separate sideline discussion where President Trump and his administration reportedly presented a proposal to end the conflict to Arab and Muslim leaders. President Trump reiterated that the US was “close to a deal” to bring the war to an end, contingent on the return of all Israeli hostages. He stated that the next step would be to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stress the shared desire for peace. President Erdogan expressed his belief in the peace efforts led by President Trump.
Discussion on Ukraine and Turkiye’s Role
The leaders also addressed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While President Trump has recently shifted his stance on Ukraine’s ability to reclaim all its territory, he used the press conference to urge President Erdogan to cease Turkiye’s trade with Russia. Trump called the war a “waste of human life” and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop.” He also briefly chastised Erdogan for his country’s continued trade with Russia, stating, “I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine.”
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Potential for Resumed Military Trade
A key element of the meeting was the prospect of the US lifting sanctions and resuming military aircraft trade with Turkiye. In 2019, the US removed Turkiye from the F-35 fighter jet program over concerns about its use of Russian defense technology. President Trump hinted that a successful meeting could lead to the lifting of sanctions “almost immediately.” He stated that he was “talking about that very seriously” and believed Erdogan would be successful in acquiring the military equipment he wants, including both F-35s and F-16s.
Syria and a “Major Announcement”
President Trump also praised President Erdogan for his government’s efforts in Syria, crediting him with playing a key role in the ousting of the former government. Trump teased that he would make a “major announcement” about Syria later in the day, without providing further details. He noted that the US had already begun lifting sanctions against Syria, which he said would allow the country to “breathe.”
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