On Monday, May 5th, President Trump of the United States expressed that he had just spoken with Turkish President Erdogan and hoped that the two sides could cooperate to immediately end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump posted on the social media platform “Truth Social” that “President Erdogan invited me to visit Turkey at some point in the future, and similarly, he will also visit Washington.”
The US President described the meeting as “very pleasant and fruitful,” stating that the two discussed “many issues,” including Russia’s war in Ukraine and problems in Syria and Gaza.
Erdogan hoped to meet with Trump not only to strengthen the partnership between Turkey and the United States but also to become a power broker on a range of issues from Ukraine to Syria.
Trump echoed the same sentiment. “I look forward to working with President Erdogan to end this absurd but deadly war between Russia and Ukraine – it needs to end now!” Trump wrote.
Trump mentioned that he had a good relationship with Erdogan during his first term. “We worked closely on many things, including his assistance in returning imprisoned pastor Andrew Brunson to the United States – which was done immediately upon my request,” Trump said.
Both the United States and Turkey are members of NATO, but the relationship between the two has been tense due to Turkey’s purchase of Russian missile defense systems and the US support for Syrian Kurdish militia groups, which Turkey views as terrorist organizations.
In March, during a conversation with Trump, Erdogan expressed his hope that Trump could lift the sanctions imposed on Turkey’s defense industry during his first term. The Trump administration issued those sanctions because Turkey was acquiring Russian missile defense systems.
Turkey also faces a 10% export tariff imposed by the US, which Trump announced on April 2nd to be levied on almost all US trading partners.