ANKARA
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spoken by phone with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to discuss cooperation between the two countries, the presidency said on Nov. 7.
Erdoğan “congratulated Trump on his election victory” and “expressed his desire to develop cooperation between Türkiye and the United States in the period ahead,” it said in a statement.
Earlier, Erdoğan congratulated Trump in a social media post.
“I congratulate my friend Donald Trump, who won the presidential election in the U.S. after a great struggle and was reelected,” Erdoğan said.
In his message, Erdoğan expressed hope that Turkish-U.S. relations would grow stronger under a renewed Trump administration. He also said he hopes regional and global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in Palestine, would come to an end.
“I believe that more efforts will be made for a fairer world. I hope the elections will be auspicious for the friendly and allied people of the U.S. and all humanity,” Erdoğan said.
Meanwhile, Turkish defense sources responded to questions regarding Trump’s election during a press briefing in Ankara on Nov. 7.
Concerning potential shifts in U.S. policy on supporting the PKK terrorist organization’s Syrian branch, the YPG, the sources recalled that Washington previously pledged to withdraw from Syria but did not fulfill this promise.
“The U.S. had earlier made a decision to withdraw from Syria, yet this did not materialize in practice. We must heed actions, not mere words.”
“Our expectation from friendly and allied countries is to halt aid and support for the PKK/YPG/SDG terrorist organization and to lend genuine support to our counter-terrorism efforts,” they stated.
While the U.S. designates PKK as a terrorist group, it does not regard YPG as such and continues to back it in the fight against ISIL in the region. Türkiye has repeatedly called on the U.S. to cease its support for YPG.
The sources also noted that no changes are expected in the F-16 procurement process post-U.S. elections, with the process reportedly progressing positively.
“Contracts for the F-16s have been signed and the process is advancing favorably,” the sources remarked.
Despite occasional tensions, Türkiye-U.S. relations remain anchored in shared values and interests, they added.
“Our countries are two pivotal members of NATO, the world’s foremost security organization with a legacy spanning over 75 years. We believe that Türkiye-U.S. relations will continue to advance on the foundation of strategic alliance, regardless of the election outcomes.”
Erdoğan in Budapest to attend European summit
Meanwhile, Erdoğan arrived in Budapest late on Nov. 6 to participate in the European Political Community Summit.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban collectively dubbed this week’s meetings the “biggest diplomatic event” in Hungarian history, but they come as relations with fellow partners are increasingly strained.
Erdoğan is scheduled to address leaders during the opening session of the summit, hosted by Orban. Following the opening and interim sessions, Erdoğan is expected to participate in a family photo with the attending leaders and hold bilateral meetings on the summit’s sidelines.
