Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Türkiye will take the issue of the Golan Heights to the United Nations. In an interview with broadcaster TGRT Haber, Erdogan said U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on Golan Heights was a "gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of elections there. Trump moved on Thursday to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the territory seized in war, marking a dramatic shift in U.S. policy. In a speech at a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Friday, Erdogan said the legitimisation of the occupation of the Golan Heights...
Türkiye in International Media
President Tayyip Erdogan showed video footage at an election rally on Saturday from an attack on two New Zealand mosques which killed 49 people and said the suspected gunman had made threats against Turkish Muslims. The gunman shot dead 49 people and wounded more than 40 in Christchurch on Friday, broadcasting footage of the attack on one of the mosques on Facebook. He also posted a "manifesto" online, which was removed shortly after the attack. Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday following the mass shootings. Erdogan said the suspect had twice visited Türkiye and...
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke his silence over a U.S. threat to punish Türkiye with sanctions should it buy an advanced Russian S-400 missile-defense system, saying the purchase is a “done deal.” “It is out of the question for us to revoke the S-400 deal,” Erdogan said during an interview with TV24 television broadcast late Wednesday. “Such an immoral act would not suit us.” The U.S. warned this week that it could retaliate by blocking Türkiye’s planned purchase of the next-generation F-35 fighters it’s helping to build. The U.S. fears the Russian system...
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Türkiye is ready to do its part to de-escalate tension between Pakistan and India. Addressing a campaign rally in Trabzon, he hailed Pakistan’s move in handing over an Indian pilot downed in the recent tension, adding that he looks forward to seeing similar steps from India. The Turkish president said that reducing bilateral tensions was in the interest of both countries. He said he had spoken to Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi on Pak-India tensions, adding that Türkiye was ready to play its role in de-escalating the ongoing...
Türkiye's trade minister says a U.S. decision to end a preferential trade program with Türkiye is inconsistent with the two countries' aim to increase annual bilateral trade to $75 billion. Ruhsar Pekcan tweeted on Tuesday that Türkiye intends to press ahead with efforts to reach the target "without losing any momentum." She added that the decision would harm American small- and medium-sized enterprises and manufacturers. The U.S. Trade Representative's office announced Monday that Washington intends to scrap the preferential trade status granted to India and Türkiye, saying "they no longer comply with the statutory eligibility...
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he hoped the United States' approach towards Türkiye's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system would change and there was no turning back from the deal with Russia. U.S. and NATO officials have told Ankara that the Russian system cannot be integrated into the NATO air and missile defense system and that purchasing the S-400 system would jeopardize Türkiye's purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in U.S. sanctions. "Relevant institutions are conducting necessary talks right now. They will continue to do so. They will...
White House adviser Jared Kushner discussed his Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, and the two also discussed increasing U.S.-Turkish cooperation and ways to boost economic conditions in the region. Kushner, who has responsibility for Washington's Israel-Palestinian policy, has said the peace plan will address final-status issues of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, including establishing borders. The White House said the meeting with Erdogan included Kushner, Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt and U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook. "They discussed increasing cooperation between the United States and Türkiye, and the Trump...
President Tayyip Erdogan said he does not believe the United States will take back weapons from Kurdish militias in Syria. In an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV, Erdogan stressed the need for the United States to take back weapons from Kurdish groups in Manbij. Earlier this month, a senior U.S. Army general said the United States should keep arming and aiding the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces following the planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria. In December, President Donald Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, declaring that...
President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on Thursday to carry out the U.S. military withdrawal from Syria in line with their mutual interests. In December, Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, declaring that Islamic State had been defeated there. Erdogan previously said that uncertainty remained over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, adding there was talk of the pullout taking place in April or May. During their phone call, Erdogan and Trump agreed that the U.S. withdrawal...