Trump signals policy shift with plan to lift Turkiye sanctions, review F-35 sale

Istanbul (Web Desk): US President Donald Trump received a warm welcome upon his arrival in Türkiye, where he held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on a range of bilateral, regional, and international issues, including trade, defence cooperation, Iran, NATO, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen ties between the United States and Türkiye, with a particular focus on expanding cooperation in trade and the defence sector.

Speaking after the talks, President Trump thanked President Erdoğan for the warm reception, describing him as a good friend and a great leader who is respected around the world.

He said relations between Washington and Ankara were improving and expressed optimism about further enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

Trump said both sides would continue discussions on boosting economic and military cooperation, adding that important decisions regarding the F-35 fighter jet programme would also be considered.

Commenting on Iran, the US president said President Erdoğan had a deep understanding of the country and regional dynamics, and that the issue would be discussed in detail.

Trump also claimed that Iran's nuclear capability had been eliminated and said he believed Türkiye did not want Tehran to possess nuclear weapons.

On NATO, Trump said the alliance had disappointed him in the past, claiming it had failed to provide support when it was needed.

He added, however, that the United States had consistently played a leading role in protecting Europe from Russia.

Addressing the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said he had helped resolve several international conflicts and expressed hope that Moscow and Kyiv would reach a peace agreement in the near future.