Trump praises Erdogan, signals end to Turkey sanctions at NATO summit

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong admiration for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a bilateral meeting in Ankara, held alongside a NATO summit. Trump described their relationship as having "great chemistry" and stated that Turkey is a "very strong" country under Erdogan's leadership.

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We have a great business relationship with many countries; Turkey is one of them... It's a chemistry that works between us... We have a great relationship.

A key focus of their discussion was the potential lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey. These sanctions were a consequence of Ankara's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system, which is considered incompatible with NATO's infrastructure. The purchase had previously led to Washington expelling Turkey from the joint F-35 fighter jet program and imposing restrictions on military equipment sales.

Trump indicated a willingness to remove these sanctions, stating, "We are going to lift the sanctions... it is time... We don't want to sanction our friends."

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We are going to lift the sanctions... it is time... We don't want to sanction our friends. To our enemies yes, we have sanctioned many people. But we don't want to sanction our friends, no.

However, the path to lifting sanctions is complicated, as the U.S. Congress must vote on certain measures. Additionally, Turkey's relationship with Israel and the status of the S-400 systems, which remain stored and require Moscow's permission for re-export, present further challenges. Meanwhile, Trump also revisited his controversial proposal to acquire Greenland, asserting it should be under U.S. control, while acknowledging that such a move could potentially strain U.S. ties with NATO.

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Turkey could clash with opposition from the U.S. legislative chambers due to its poor relations with Israel.