Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan to meet at the UN General Assembly

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are scheduled to hold a private meeting in New York. The summit will take place on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where the general debate is set to commence on September 22, 2026. While the meeting has been confirmed by the U.S. ambassador, the specific date and the precise agenda for the talks have not yet been officially announced.

This diplomatic encounter follows a series of recent high-level contacts between the two nations. On September 9, 2026, President Erdogan held a closed-door meeting in Ankara with Ambassador Barrack and U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa. Reports indicate that bilateral discussions between the U.S. and Turkey remain centered on contentious issues, including the status of Russian S-400 missile systems and ongoing negotiations regarding the F-35 fighter jet program.

Preparations for the meeting have been underway since at least September 11, when Representative Issa first signaled the possibility of the two leaders meeting in New York. As the UN General Assembly approaches, the upcoming summit is viewed as a significant opportunity to address persistent friction in U.S.-Turkey relations.