In an exclusive interview with CNN International set to be aired later on Friday in full, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he believes that the nation would not let him down in the second round of the presidential election scheduled for May 28.
The president, who won almost half of the votes against his main rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu during the May 14 elections, spoke to CNN’s Becky Anderson at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. He hailed the high turnout in the first round, which reached nearly 90%. "I believe my nation will not prove me wrong in the run-off as well," he said, expressing hope for a strong turnout.
Answering a question on U.S. President Joe Biden, who described him as an autocrat during his own election campaign, Erdoğan said no autocrat would "go for runoff."
"Our People’s Alliance will have 322 lawmakers in the (600-seat) Parliament and the person leading it will compete in the runoff. Is this dictatorship?" Erdoğan said. The president added that he would "undoubtedly work with Biden" if he wins the second round of elections. "I am also ready to work with Biden’s successor," he said.
On a question about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Erdoğan said the West did not pursue a balanced policy on the issue. "It would be better to have a balanced policy toward Russia. Just as I improved my relations with Mr. Putin, the West should have done so. Countries need each other. I hold talks with leaders of Western countries, the same way I hold talks with Mr. Putin. Similarly, through the Black Sea grain corridor, we assisted in addressing the needs of both Western as well as African countries. We managed to extend the grain deal for another two months, and it was possible only through our personal ties with Mr. Putin," he noted.
He argued that a balanced approach toward a country like Russia would have been more appropriate. He emphasized the need for mutual cooperation in the world and highlighted his positive relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that the West should adopt a similar approach.
Erdoğan also mentioned the Black Sea Grain Initiative, where Türkiye meets the needs not only of the West but also of African countries, highlighting the extension of grain processes with Russia, thanks to his special relationship with Putin.
Saying that the opposition is calling for the mass deportation of Syrian refugees in Türkiye, Erdoğan noted that "it is impossible to agree with that."
"But I can tell that Turkish NGOs are now doing serious work in terms of reconstruction in northern Syria. They're building houses. These houses are built so that Syrians in Türkiye can return to their homeland," he said.
"Now we are taking another step. In fact, we have also prepared some projects related to housing construction in Syria for the return of nearly 1 million refugees to their lands. These are pretty cool projects. Together with these projects, we will ensure that Syrian refugees return to their own countries, to their own lands," he added.
Responding to a question on whether restoring relations with Syrian regime head Bashar Assad is a possibility, Erdoğan said: "I've made some remarks on this. I had a friendship with the Assad family. We used to meet as a family. We were in such a position. Unfortunately, due to some later developments, there was a break in our close relations. This break also upset us."
"(Through) my friendship with President Putin, we thought we could open a door, specifically in our fight against terrorism in the northern part of Syria, which requires close cooperation and solidarity. If we can do that, I said I see no obstacle that would remain in the way of our reconciliation," he added.
When asked about Assad's demand on Türkiye to withdraw its military from Syria for a meeting, Erdoğan said: "We have more than 900 kilometers (559 miles) of border and there is a constant terror threat from those borders on our country. The only reason we have a military presence on the border is to fight terrorism. That's the sole reason."
Erdoğan said Türkiye will not withdraw from Syria because "the terror threat continues."
Erdoğan's People's Alliance won a majority in parliament, while the presidential race is headed to a second round on May 28.
In the first round held on May 14, no candidate won an outright majority, although Erdoğan was leading.
Erdoğan will face Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition CHP and joint candidate for the six-party opposition Nation Alliance, in the runoff vote.