Erdoğan, Trump hail 'productive' call, set to meet soon

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday that a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump was "very productive, comprehensive, and sincere."

"Today, my phone call with the President of the United States, my dear friend Mr. Donald Trump, was very productive, comprehensive, and sincere," Erdoğan said on X after the call.

"I hope to meet my friend Trump in the near future," said Erdoğan, expressing hope that their meeting "brings good outcomes for our countries."

Stating that the call addressed many regional and global issues, primarily the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as Syria, the Russia-Ukraine war, global trade, ongoing negotiations between Iran and the U.S. and more, Erdoğan said they reaffirmed their mutual will to strengthen ties between the two nations, especially in the fields of defense industry and trade.

"I expressed my appreciation for President Trump’s efforts to end the ongoing conflicts and wars around the world, and I emphasized that Turkey stands ready to provide the necessary support to establish peace, stability, and security in our region," he added.

"I conveyed that I would be very pleased to host my dear friend in Türkiye at the earliest opportunity, and he, in turn, invited us to the U.S.," he said.

Trump, for his part, said he held a "very good and productive" telephone call with Erdoğan.

"I just had a very good and productive telephone conversation with the President of Turkey, Recep Erdoğan, concerning many subjects, including the War with Russia/Ukraine, all things Syria, Gaza, and more," the U.S. president said in a social media post shared on multiple platforms.

"The President invited me to go to Turkey at a future date and, likewise, he will be coming to Washington, D.C.," he added.

Trump hailed what he called his "excellent" personal relationship with Erdoğan during his first term, saying the leaders "worked together closely on numerous things, including the fact that he helped return Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was imprisoned, back to the United States — Immediately upon my request."

"In any event, I look forward to working with President Erdoğan on getting the ridiculous, but deadly, War between Russia and Ukraine ended — NOW!" he added.