President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday hosted US counterpart Donald Trump at the Presidential Complex on Tuesday as the latter arrived for bilateral talks and a key NATO summit in Ankara. The U.S. president vowed that they would lift CAATSA sanctions as he fielded questions by journalists along with Erdoğan.
Two men who often refer each other as “my friend” first met on the tarmac of Ankara Airport, a military airport redesigned for Air Force One and other presidential plane. They later proceeded to airport’s guest house and later, to Presidential Complex.
A ceremonial team of guardsmen dressed in historical costumes of Turkish states of the past, from Seljuks to Ottomans, attended the welcoming ceremony for Trump at the complex.
This is Trump's first visit to Türkiye in his two presidential terms and first by a sitting US President after the end of the Biden administration. Erdoğan has visited the White House last year and two leaders often hold phone calls in critical times, including recent US-Israel-Iran conflict. Trump, however, is no stranger to Türkiye where skyscrapers bearing the name of his franchise tower over central Istanbul. He has attended the opening ceremony of the towers in 2012, alongside Erdoğan, then prime minister.
Speaking to journalists before their meeting, two leaders affirmed good ties and friendship. "We feel stronger now having my precious friend here in Ankara," Erdoğan said.
"We are very good friends, you are a respected leader," Trump said in turn. "We are going to talk about trade, military, Iran," the US leader said. Trump also expressed his frustration with NATO. "I was very disappointed with NATO. I am not sure they would be there for us. Why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars if they are not there for us?" he said.
On Türkiye's return to F-35 program, Erdoğan said he trusted Trump as "a man of his word."
"(Türkiye) has been a great ally for us, including trying to end the war with Iran," Trump said. The U.S. President also signaled that they would lift CAATSA sanctions imposed on Türkiye years ago.
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