Trump’s Remarks on Erdogan’s Influence in Ukraine Conflict
President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the potential to significantly influence the resolution of the ongoing war in Ukraine “if he wants.” This comment came during a discussion with reporters in the Oval Office, where Trump emphasized the importance of NATO allies ceasing to purchase Russian oil to limit funding for President Putin’s military efforts.
“I think he can make a big impact if he wants,” Trump remarked as he sat beside Erdogan. He described the Turkish leader as currently adopting a neutral stance, adding, “He likes to be neutral.” Yet, Trump pressed the point about the necessity for Erdogan to halt oil and gas imports from Russia, highlighting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine,” Trump said. “Strangeness.” He also called for Putin to put an end to the aggression.
Erdogan mentioned plans to discuss the US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. This deal was previously put on hold following Turkey’s acquisition of Russian air defense systems, which raised concerns about potential technology leaks to Moscow. During his remarks, Trump did not clarify whether he would consider lifting the ban on the sales or if he would use it as leverage in discussions regarding Turkish imports of Russian oil. Turkey is currently the third-largest importer of Russian oil, trailing behind India and China.
While India has faced additional tariffs connected to Russian oil purchases and negotiations with China are ongoing, Turkey has managed to avoid similar tariffs for now. Trump indicated that tariffs would be a topic of conversation during discussions with Erdogan.
On the topic of securing deals related to F-16 fighter jets, Trump stated that relations between the US and Turkey are “in great form,” though it remained unclear whether discussions would extend to the F-35. “We’re talking very seriously about it,” he noted, emphasizing that Erdogan needed something specific and would reach a conclusion soon.
