By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL- There could be dramatic shifts underway in the U.S.-Turkish relationship as U.S. President Trump and Turkish President Erdogan meet at the White House to discuss a number of crucial issues, not the least of which are defense issues that have been weighing heavily on Turkiye for quite some time. At a joint press conference on Wednesday, September 25, Trump indicated that Erdogan is very likely to receive what he is requesting and praised the Turkish leader as a “tough man” but “respected.” Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, told Ihlas News Agency that Turkiye is America’s “biggest partner in a complex region.” Barrack pointed out that while Turkiye is America’s “greatest ally in NATO,” it still remains outside the scope of EU membership. Though the EU has acknowledged Turkiye as an absolutely essential partner, analysts point out that the EU would still like to see the Turkish government speed up democratic reforms that relate to freedom of speech and human rights, as highlighted in a 2024 EU report. As Barrack explained Turkiye’s allegiances: “Are they friends? Are they foes? They’re dealing with Russia. They’re conservative Muslims, are aggressive Muslims. They haven’t condemned the Muslim Brotherhood. They haven’t condemned Hamas.”
Analysts view the summit between Trump and Erdogan as the most significant meeting, yet – where the focus will be on trade, defense and investment as well as a number of other issues. Turkish markets rallied since Trump announced the White House visit a week ago with government debt and stocks rising on expectations of improved relations. Investors view the Turkish role in a Western alliance as crucial to develop the region’s largest economy. Turkish officials are hoping to resolve the F-35 aircraft dispute as Turkiye was ejected from the Lockheed Martin F-35 program after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system which triggered congressional sanctions that still target Turkish defense industries. So far, Turkiye has refused the U.S. demand to abandon the Russian system which could prove to be a sticking point in discussions. Despite this, prior to going into their meeting, Trump expressed a positive outlook:“I think he will be successful buying the things he wants to buy.”
