Erdoğan vows consistent US-Türkiye relations regardless of election outcome
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye's high-level dialogue with the United States will remain consistent, irrespective of the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
During a roundtable meeting with U.S. think tank representatives in New York, Erdoğan stated, "Regardless of who becomes president as a result of the elections, our view of America and our high-level dialogue in our relations will not change."
Erdoğan, who arrived in the U.S. on Saturday to address the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, acknowledged ongoing differences regarding national security issues with the U.S. administration.
Türkiye has consistently expressed concerns about U.S. collaboration with the PKK and its affiliates under the guise of fighting ISIL, arguing that it’s illogical to use one terrorist group to combat another.
"We share our expectations with our American friends on every occasion to end the support given to the PKK, PYD, YPG, and FETÖ," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan also addressed concerns about U.S.-imposed measures and defense industry restrictions, such as the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and Türkiye's removal from the F-35 fighter jet program, which he described as inconsistent with the spirit of alliance.
In 2019, under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. suspended Türkiye from the F-35 program after objecting to its buying a Russian S-400 missile defense system, claiming the Russian system would endanger the fighter jets.
Türkiye has said repeatedly that there is no conflict between the two and proposed a commission to study the issue. Türkiye also said it fulfilled its obligations on the F-35s and that its suspension broke the rules.
Ankara maintains that the fighter jets would strengthen not only Türkiye, but also NATO.
Touching on economic ties, Erdoğan noted that Turkish-American trade exceeded $30 billion in 2023 and expressed ambitions to increase this to $100 billion.
He reiterated Türkiye's position as one of NATO's strongest allies and underscored its continuing pursuit of EU membership.
"While we develop our cooperation with the Western world, we do not neglect the East," Erdoğan added, acknowledging Ankara's efforts to strengthen dialogue with organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and ASEAN.
"We have taken critical steps in this regard recently...We will further advance our cooperation with different regional organizations with a Türkiye-centered approach that focuses on our country's interests," he concluded.
