Erdoğan, Trump discuss Gaza, Ukraine, F-35 in White House meeting

WASHINGTON

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, covering key issues including Gaza, Syria, the Russia-Ukraine war, F-35 and F-16 aircraft acquisitions.

Erdoğan arrived from Blair House and was greeted with a ceremonial guard. The leaders shook hands, greeted journalists and moved to the Oval Office for pre-meeting comments.

“With Mr. Trump, in both his first and second terms, we are experiencing a different process in Türkiye-U.S. relations. We believe we will have the opportunity to discuss in detail the F-35 issue, the F-16 issue, and our relations regarding Halkbank,” Erdoğan said.

On Heybeliada Seminary, Erdoğan added: “Whatever falls upon us regarding the Heybeliada School, we are ready to do it anyway. Upon return, I will have the opportunity to discuss this with Mr. Bartholomew.”

Responding to a question on Trump's peace efforts and regional collaboration, Erdoğan said: “I say these things because I believe in them. I believe we can overcome these troubles in the region hand in hand.”

Trump replied: “Erdoğan has built a tremendous military and it's an honor to host him at the White House."

"We will discuss the F-35 issue. I think we will be successful. You want to see the F-35s. We are talking very seriously. There are important issues here. These will also be discussed. If we have a good meeting, we can lift the CAATSA sanctions immediately," Trump said.

The U.S. imposed CAATSA sanctions on Türkiye in 2021 over its purchase of Russian S-400 missiles.

Trump, in remarks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, said: “President Erdoğan is respected by both sides. I respect him too. He likes to be neutral. Very neutral. The only thing he can do right now is not buy oil from Russia. He knows Putin very well."

"I stopped 7 wars. I thought this would be easy, but I was wrong. Russia has used millions of dollars in weapons and really gained nothing in return. Their economy is in very bad shape. They are killing thousands of people for no reason. I think they need to stop now. It was disappointing that all of NATO didn't give up on Russia. If I were president then, this war wouldn't have started,” Trump added.

Trump praised Erdoğan as "a very respected man in the world."

“We have been friends with President Erdoğan for a long time. He is very respected, in his own country, all over Europe, all over the world. I respect this man a lot. We have had good relations for a long time. I am very happy to have the President of Türkiye by my side. The man next to me is very tough. Very tough and doing good things in his country. We will also discuss trade between the two countries. We do a lot of business with Türkiye. Türkiye produces great products. We will discuss the F-35 issue. I think we will be successful,“ Trump said.

"We will talk about Gaza. (On the Gaza summit with Erdoğan and some Muslim leaders at the U.N.) We had great meetings with the leaders in that region. We are very close to an agreement here. We will rescue the hostages. Steps can be taken regarding Gaza. It could happen today. We have good meetings with Saudi Arabia. We had great meetings with the leaders. We will also meet with Israel. I believe we can do this," Trump added.

.On Syria, Trump said: “President Erdoğan is the person responsible for the success in the struggle to overthrow the former leader in Syria. He saved Syria. I lifted the sanctions (on Syria)," he said.

"Erdoğan was responsible for the victory (in Syria). It was a victory for Türkiye. I lifted the sanctions at Erdoğan's request,” Trump added.

The talks lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. Trump personally saw off Erdoğan and the Turkish delegation, shaking hands with each minister. When asked by reporters how the meeting went, Trump responded: “Great!”

Trump said the meeting was "very conclusive in so many different things, things that we wanted, things that he wanted, and that was good."

"We'll be announcing that sometime later, and he'll be making an announcement, too, but we had a great meeting with Turkey and their very respected president," he told reporters in the Oval Office. "You're going to really be impressed when you hear what happened today with President Erdoğan of Turkey. I think it's great for both countries."

Trump said the leaders "had a very good conversation having to do with the purchase of military equipment." Asked specifically if he will be able to make a deal on F-35s, he said: "I will be able to easily if I want."

"It depends. He's going to do something for us," he said.

Erdoğan-Trump meeting 'quite productive, successful’: Fidan

 The more than two-hour-long meeting between Erdoğan and Trump was "quite productive and successful," Türkiye's foreign minister said Thursday.

The meeting addressed the joint steps that Ankara and Washington will take in the upcoming period as two allies and friends, Hakan Fidan wrote on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

Stressing that the focus was on areas of regional cooperation, Fidan added: "We will continue to work to strengthen our relationship with the U.S. based on mutual respect and in line with our respective interests."

Trump's more than two-hour sit-down with Erdoğan was "better than great," the U.S. envoy to Türkiye also said Thursday.

"I think it was better than great, in my humble opinion. Two amazing leaders from very different parts of the world, from different points of view, had a real understanding and respect for each other," Tom Barrack told reporters outside the White House after the meeting concluded.

He went on to describe the meeting as “historic.”

“The team is first-class. Blended perfectly on all the issues with the U.S. team,” Barrack told reporters following the Oval Office talks. “President Trump was graceful, kind, understanding, strong on the issues that they needed to talk (about). They're both very strong. And honestly, it was historic.”

When asked if the U.S. supports a unified Syria, Barrack underscored his support for the country’s territorial integrity, stressing that fractured governance systems based on sectarian or ethnic divisions have failed elsewhere.

“None of these fractured federalisms or confessionalism have worked anywhere,” he said, pointing to Lebanon and Iraq as examples.

Asked about Gaza, Barrack emphasized the urgency of stopping the “senseless killing.”

“Gaza has to end...Until Gaza ends, everybody's confused,” he said. “I think they're both in line with saying Gaza has to end.”

When asked what he means by “end,” he responded: “That means stop the senseless killing...everybody agrees we have to stop the killing.”