US President Donald Trump said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called him and asked him to attend the NATO summit in Ankara in July.
According to Modern.az, Trump told reporters about this in the Oval Office.
“He said: "Please be at this event in Turkey. The US must be there." Therefore, I will go to Turkey as a sign of respect for President Erdoğan,” Trump said.
Answering journalists' questions during his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump said that he could make a positive decision regarding the supply of F-35 fighters to Turkey before the NATO summit in Ankara.
Trump highly appreciated Erdoğan's personal qualities, calling him his friend and expressing his liking for him.
“Turkey is a NATO member. Some people don't take that into account. I will take a step that will make him happy,” the US president noted.
Trump also praised Turkey's non-participation in the US war against Iran.
“He didn't join the war. You know, he was one of the closest candidates to join the war with Iran, and he might even have been on Iran's side. Because, as you know, he is not a supporter of Israel. I asked him not to interfere, and he didn't. You know who else was a great person? Chinese President Xi Jinping. Erdoğan is a great leader, a strong personality, an excellent military man. I asked him not to interfere, and he did. Just like Xi Jinping. Frankly, Vladimir Putin too,” Trump said.
