Latest news with #US-Turkiye
Arab News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Ankara, Washington, and Trump's first 100 days
As Donald Trump marked the first 100 days of his administration in Washington, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: 'I believe my friend Trump and I will bring very different momentum to US-Turkiye relations in the coming days." The two leaders understood each other, he said, particularly on the contentious issue of Syria, and he welcomed Trump's awareness of Turkiye's sensitivities. After Trump declared victory in November, Erdogan was among the first world leaders to publicly congratulate him. His preference was not new: he had expressed support before. Since Trump's election, the two leaders have held numerous phone calls and their teams have been preparing for their first face-to-face meeting, although no date has been set. Such a meeting could pave the way for an improvement in Turkish-American relations. Trump's approach to foreign leaders, often described as unorthodox and at times careless of diplomatic protocol, has led some to question it. However, there are more similarities than differences in how Erdogan and Trump, confident leaders, approach international politics. Both prefer direct contact over bureaucratic or institutional frameworks. Although in the past personal rapport has also brought challenges, it is still the way they operate. During Trump's first term, there were moments of strain, but their unique chemistry — a bromance, if you like — prevented ties from fully collapsing, and the two leaders have managed to maintain a fragile stability in their relations. Given their previous experiences, it is now clear that they are focused on developing a collaborative agenda that benefits both. While Ankara remains cautiously optimistic, it is well-prepared for a second Trump term, and the US president's attitude appears to align with the Turkish ruling elite's expectations. One area where Ankara holds high expectations from Washington is Syria. Erdogan's specific mention of Syria as a point of mutual understanding with Trump is telling. Ankara also expects the US to end cooperation with the Kurdish militias in Syria, who Turkiye considers a national security threat. Moreover, the Turkish ruling elite has expressed frustration over Israeli actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, which it views as a destabilizing factor in the region. Israel poses a serious security threat not only to a unified Syria but also to Turkiye's stability and its efforts to reintegrate Syria into the international fold. The Trump administration's policy on Turkish-Israeli tension in Syria will have an important impact for both the broader region and Syria's future. Israel, with its strong lobbying presence in the US, has worked to influence Washington's stance on Turkiye's role in Syria. However, Trump made his position clear during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praising Turkiye's involvement in Syria and emphasizing his strong relationship with Erdogan. This suggests that the Trump administration may pressure Israel to respect Turkiye's security concerns in Syria. It seems clear that Washington acknowledges and seeks to address Turkiye's concerns, and that it will be committed to a pragmatic foreign policy approach. Both Turkiye and Israel are allies of Washington in the Middle East and as the Trump administration plans to withdraw from Syria, it appears determined to leave behind a region where its allies will not confront each other. Only time will tell whether Ankara's expectations are met. Turkiye also supports Trump's vision for ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Turkiye, alongside Saudi Arabia, has played an important role in enabling dialogue between US and Russian officials. As with Trump, Erdogan has maintained a direct approach with Vladimir Putin, maintaining a delicate balancing act. This personal diplomacy has kept Turkish-Russian relations stable, despite conflicting interests in flashpoints such as Syria, Ukraine, and the Caucasus. Erdogan and Trump, who trust their negotiating skills, are likely to discuss the Ukraine-Russia peace when they finally meet. As for Europe and NATO, Trump's approach has actually strengthened Turkiye's position in the eyes of Europeans. NATO in particular values Turkiye's military strength and growing defense industry, especially in securing the southern flank of the alliance. Ankara seems to be leveraging this moment to improve relations with both the EU and the alliance. Additionally, Turkiye aims to gain European support for its concerns in the eastern Mediterranean, where its regional interests are often at odds with those of European and regional states. With three years and nine months ahead, it is too early to make predictions about the future of Turkish-American relations. While Turkiye has realistic expectations of the Trump administration, it cannot predict the exact policy preferences of Trump and his Cabinet on geopolitical issues, especially given the shifting dynamics in the region. Gaza and Iran remain hot topics. Equally important will be how the two leaders navigate the structural issues that mark US-Turkiye relations. So all eyes are now fixed on a possible Trump-Erdogan meeting, which will set the tone for the next phase. • Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye's relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
Shafaq News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkiye closes door on Israel relations
Shafaq News/ Turkiye has officially severed diplomatic and trade relations with Israel, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed on Wednesday. 'There will be no normalization with Israel until a ceasefire is achieved [in Gaza],' Fidan told CNN Türk, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'defying the entire world' with US backing and urging Washington to restrain him. Addressing Syria, Fidan said Turkiye remains engaged in managing regional instability and maintains direct lines of communication with Israel to prevent escalation, condemning Israeli actions in Syria as a deliberate attempt to destroy infrastructure and deny future governance capacity. Fidan also called for an end to Israel's occupation of Syrian territory, denouncing repeated strikes on critical infrastructure. The Turkish FM clarified that Turkiye will not pursue military action unless directly threatened but stressed that developments in Syria carry serious national security consequences. 'We don't seek confrontation with any country in the region, including Israel,' he noted, calling Israeli behavior in Syria 'provocative' and 'destabilizing.' Additionally, Fidan urged the international community to lift US and EU sanctions on Syria, citing improved cooperation between Ankara and Damascus on security and counterterrorism. 'There is now a new Syria — a sovereign state — that must be allowed to shape its own defense and foreign policies,' he asserted. On US-Turkiye relations, Fidan confirmed plans for an upcoming meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump. He described the relationship as 'constructive,' referenced ongoing legal efforts to lift sanctions under the CAATSA framework.
Arab News
18-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Turkiye's Erdogan seeks meeting with Trump, Bloomberg News says
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is working to secure a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, potentially by late April, Bloomberg News said on Tuesday, citing Turkish officials familiar with the matter. Erdogan sees closer US-Turkiye ties as crucial for regional stability, particularly as Ankara seeks a bigger role in mediating conflicts from Ukraine to Syria, the report added. Erdogan's office and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments. In the battle against militant group Islamic State in Syria, the United States is allied with a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkiye regards as a terrorist group. Turkiye has sharply criticized this US stance as a betrayal of a NATO ally. Turkiye's 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems also led to US sanctions and the country's removal from the F-35 fighter jet program. On Sunday, Erdogan spoke by telephone with Trump, discussing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to restore stability in Syria. He told Trump that Turkiye supported his 'decisive and direct initiatives' to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and would continue to strive for a 'just and lasting peace,' Erdogan's office said in a statement.
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Arab News
Turkish writer, son accused of fleeing after crash can be extradited, US judge rules
BOSTON: A US judge on Tuesday ruled that a Turkish author and her son can be extradited to Turkiye to face charges that he caused a reckless, fatal car crash in Istanbul and then fled the country with the help of his mother. US Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell in Boston rejected arguments that Turkish novelist and poet Eylem Tok and her 17-year-old son, Timur Cihantimur, had not been charged with extraditable offenses, clearing the way for the US State Department to consider turning them over. Further litigation is likely and could further delay their extradition, which Turkiye has been pursuing since their arrest in June as the mother and son were about to tour a private school in Boston. David Russcol, Tok's lawyer, said her attorneys 'are evaluating Ms. Tok's options for further judicial review of the serious legal issues involved.' Her son's lawyer had no immediate comment. According to prosecutors, the teenager was driving a Porsche on the night of March 1 when, while speeding around a corner, he crashed into a group of people on all-terrain vehicles. One person, Oguz Murat Aci, died and four others were injured. Prosecutors said the teenager immediately fled the scene after saying something like 'my life is over.' He was picked up by the family's driver, and within hours Tok had bought one-way plane tickets for them to fly to Cairo, Egypt. They then continued on to the United States. Their lawyers argued the teenager could not be extradited for the crime of causing reckless killing and injury because the US-Turkiye extradition treaty only covered individuals who are formally charged, while he was only facing an arrest warrant. They also argued that Tok's alleged offenses of concealing a cellphone that authorities viewed as evidence and protecting an offender by helping her son flee were not extraditable under that treaty. But Cabell rejected those arguments. With regard to Tok's son, he said it was clear that the term 'charged' in the treaty did not mean a formal charge. 'Rather, construed in the generic and more elastic sense, it is synonymous with accused,' he said.
