Ankara, Turkey, July 7 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara on Tuesday (local time) ahead of the NATO summit and received a ceremonial welcome from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Etimesgut Air Base.
The White House shared visuals of Trump’s arrival, writing, “President Donald J. Trump Arrives in Turkey and is greeted by the President, @RTErdogan, ahead of the NATO summit.”
The high-profile NATO summit, scheduled for July 7-8, comes amid ongoing tensions within the alliance over defense spending, burden-sharing, and the U.S. role in European security.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump will also hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the summit.
“The President will participate in a NATO Leaders’ Social Dinner. On Wednesday, President Trump will participate in an official welcome and family photo, followed by a NATO Leaders’ working session. That afternoon, President Trump will participate in bilateral meetings with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and President al-Sharaa of the Syrian Arab Republic. Finally, the President will hold a press conference before departing from Ankara. He will arrive back at the White House on Wednesday evening,” the statement said.
For years, many NATO allies viewed Turkey with skepticism over its purchase of a Russian air defense system, military operations against Western-backed Kurdish forces in Syria, and delays in Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, The Washington Post reported.
According to the newspaper, Trump has reshaped that dynamic by describing NATO as a “paper tiger” and saying he was attending this year’s summit for Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The remarks are the latest indication of strained relations between Trump and several European allies.
“Ankara’s international visibility will increase more than ever before, and our capital will make a name for itself as a center of global diplomacy,” Erdogan told a recent meeting of his AK Party, according to The Washington Post.
Trump has praised Erdogan in recent weeks, calling him “a friend of mine” and “a hell of a leader.” (ANI)
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