Turkish President Erdogan hopes for positive post-election relations with US, eyes F-35 reimbursement

By Burcu Calik Gocumlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced hope that the outcome of this fall’s US presidential election would lead to improved relations with Türkiye, although he remained skeptical, citing longstanding disappointments under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

“My hope is that the new leadership won't be worse than the previous one,” Erdogan told reporters at the Turkish House in New York, where he visited on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly.

“The F-35 issue was not something we experienced only during Donald Trump's term; all administrations have been a disappointment. Both Republicans and Democrats have caused disappointment. We will see if this continues in the new era,” he said, referring to Türkiye’s exclusion from the fighter jet program by the US, which Ankara has long called an unfair, unwarranted move.

Erdogan stressed Türkiye’s pursuit of the $1.45 billion it is owed from the F-35 fighter jet program, stating: “This is not a small amount. We will continue taking steps to collect what we are owed.” He added that Türkiye would reassess its relationship with the US after the election, depending on the new administration's approach.

- Ukraine-Russia peace efforts

Erdogan also touched on Türkiye's involvement in peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, reiterating Türkiye’s willingness to host a potential peace conference. “We are perhaps the country that desires a just peace the most in the Ukraine-Russia war,” he said. “Diplomacy and dialogue can end this conflict, but unfortunately, we are not close to that at the moment.”

He highlighted Türkiye's unique position as a negotiator, maintaining open lines of communication with both Ukraine and Russia, and vowed to continue efforts toward peace.

Asked if the prospect of a Ukraine peace conference, or even one held in Türkiye, was raised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when they met on the UN sidelines, Erdogan said: “We have said that we are ready to take part in this conference. In the same way, both Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and our intelligence organization will be in contact with them. We hope that, as Türkiye, we will take part in bringing peace to the region.”

He added: “It is possible to end this war through diplomacy and dialogue. As long as both warring parties and other actors believe that we can solve the problems in this way. Unfortunately, we are not close to that at the moment.”

Stressing that Türkiye's ability to negotiate with both Ukraine and Russia is an advantage on the road to peace, Erdogan said: “If we can walk this difficult path and reach our goal, we will be doing a great service to humanity. Until the parties abandon provocations, the arms race, and a system in which weapons, not people, speak, the hope for peace will not be born in a concrete way. But we will continue to search for that hope without giving up. We will step up our efforts and work harder.”

- BRICS and ASEAN

The president also emphasized Türkiye's role in global partnerships and possible NEW groupings: “We cannot sever our ties with the Turkish world and Islamic world just because we are a NATO country. BRICS and ASEAN are structures that provide opportunities to develop our economic cooperation.”

He highlighted the hypocrisy of those opposing Türkiye’s involvement in BRICS: “Those who say 'Don't join BRICS or any other structure' and those who have kept us waiting for years at the door of the EU, which we have been working to become a part of, are the same people.”

Erdogan expressed optimism about Türkiye’s growing influence in these blocs: “I believe that our presence in BRICS and ASEAN and our visibility here will change the arithmetic of the regions.”

The BRICS bloc retained is name – made up from long-standing members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – though it added several new members this year.

ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a political and economic union of 10 states in the region.

- ‘Türkiye is a reliable ally in NATO’​​​​​​​

Asked about Türkiye's value in NATO, Erdogan cited outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's comments on Türkiye’s importance to European security. He stressed that Türkiye remains a reliable NATO ally, fully aware of its responsibilities.

Erdogan said that Stoltenberg maintained relations with Türkiye in the most ideal way throughout his term as NATO chief and that he did not leave a destructive legacy with Türkiye.

“Let's see how this situation will continue with Mr. Rutte,” said Erdogan. “We had a good friendship with the new Secretary General Mark Rutte during his term as prime minister of the Netherlands. I hope we will continue this solidarity and this unity with the NATO Secretariat.”

“International organizations that stray from their founding values risk degeneration,” Erdogan warned. “If NATO’s core principle of ‘All for one and one for all’ starts to erode, it will face serious problems,” he added, referring to the famed Article 5 of the NATO charter.

“Measures must be taken and implemented without delay. Especially when it comes to a vital issue such as security, there should not be an inch of deviation from principles. Türkiye is a reliable ally that is aware of its obligations and responsibilities within NATO and fulfills them completely. We see that Europe knows how valuable Türkiye is for NATO, but sometimes ignores it,” Erdogan added.

- ‘Armenia-Azerbaijan peace will open door to new opportunities’

On relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, Erdogan shared insights from his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Turkish House.

“The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process will open doors for greater regional cooperation and positively impact the normalization of relations between Türkiye and Armenia,” Erdogan said.

He added: "When we look at Mr. Pashinyan's approach, it doesn't appear negative. They want Türkiye to help facilitate the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and ensure that they live peacefully as neighbors as soon as possible. We are already pursuing this and working towards it.”​​​​​​​

“My hope is that we gradually resolve and settle these developments between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and by overcoming these difficulties between them, we can move forward. Both sides are actually in favor of peace. Azerbaijan is currently engaged in this expectation and effort, and we have seen the same in Armenia. We believe that the climate of peace and tranquility that will emerge will be in everyone's best interest. Peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan will open the door to new opportunities for both countries. The normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia will also be positively impacted by the successful conclusion of this peace process."

*Writing by Efe Ozkan