On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and former U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a phone call that both described as “productive.”
Erdogan referred to Trump as his “dear friend” and expressed backing for Trump’s efforts to resolve ongoing global conflicts.
“Turkey is prepared to support the establishment of peace, stability, and security in our region,” Erdogan stated after the call.
He added that he was eager to welcome Trump to Turkey and mentioned that Trump had invited him to visit the United States.
Trump characterized the conversation as “very good and productive,” discussing various topics, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Syria, and Gaza.
The two leaders also exchanged invitations to visit each other’s nations.
Trump reflected on his time in office, mentioning their strong relationship and recalling how Erdogan assisted in securing the release of Pastor Andrew Branson, who had been detained in Turkey.
Trump expressed his desire to work with Erdogan to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Branson was arrested in 2016, facing accusations related to terrorism and was later released in 2018, thanking Trump for his efforts regarding his case.
During the call, Erdogan urged Trump to consider lifting sanctions on Syria to help stabilize its economy after years of civil war, according to Erdogan’s office.
Despite Turkey’s push for this, there is skepticism from the U.S. and European nations regarding the prospects, especially considering the influence of the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the region.
HTS is attempting to present itself as a more moderate Islamic authority and has pledges to protect various minorities in Syria, while Turkey continues to support it against the PKK.
In a recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump noted his past conversation with Erdogan, saying, “Congratulations, you did something no one could do in 2,000 years. You took over Syria,” albeit under a different name.
Erdogan also emphasized the importance of ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza without interruption during their discussion, which runs counter to current Israeli policies regarding aid delivery.
