Erdoğan says Türkiye opposes NATO cooperation with Israel
WASHINGTON
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Türkiye will continue to oppose NATO's cooperation with the Israeli government, which "tramples on the military alliance's core values."
"Türkiye will not approve any attempts to cooperate with Israel at NATO until a comprehensive and sustainable peace is established in Palestine," Erdoğan stated on July 11 during a press conference at a U.S.-hosted NATO summit.
His comments came after a leaders' meeting and several bilateral talks during the three-day gathering. One of the key topics for Erdoğan was the ongoing war in Gaza.
"It is not possible for the Israeli leadership, which tramples on the fundamental values of our alliance, to maintain a partnership with NATO," he said.
"[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's administration jeopardizes the security not only of its own citizens but of the entire region with its expansionist and reckless policies."
Erdoğan criticized the continued military support for Israel as unacceptable in an environment where "global conscience has taken to the streets," and reiterated his call for a two-state solution.
"I call on our allies to increase their pressure on the Netanyahu administration to ensure a ceasefire and deliver aid to Gaza, which has been suffering from hunger for nine months," he said.
Türkiye has previously announced its decision to join South Africa's ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
In response to a journalist's question about the newly approved F-16 purchases from the U.S. being "scaled down," Erdoğan mentioned discussions with his counterpart Joe Biden at the summit.
"If it happens as it is said, he said, 'I will solve this problem in three-four weeks'. I reminded him again when I left today," Erdoğan said. "The issue of parts is something we discuss all the time."
Recent media reports claimed some jet parts would be produced locally in Türkiye. The finalized deal includes Türkiye acquiring 40 new F-16s and upgrading 79 existing ones.
Meanwhile, Erdoğan also had a brief conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the last day of the summit.
Türkiye continues its efforts to end the war in Ukraine with a just peace, Erdoğan told Zelensky, affirming that Ankara is ready to take any initiative, including mediation.
Zelensky described his meeting with Erdoğan as "productive" and expressed appreciation for Türkiye's "unwavering support" for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Less than a week before the summit, Erdoğan met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as they visited Kazakhstan for a session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
On the sidelines of the NATO talks' final day, Erdoğan held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and newly-elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss bilateral relations and global issues.
He also met earlier in the summit with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
