Turkish President Erdogan calls for strengthened defense ties with the United States

During his visit to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed an event marking 100 years of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the United States. Erdoğan highlighted his close personal relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, describing him as a valued friend and crediting their sincere dialogue for the recent progress in bilateral ties.

The Turkish leader emphasized the necessity of overcoming existing obstacles in defense cooperation, both at a bilateral level and within the NATO framework. He noted that recent high-level meetings, including their session in Washington last year and President Trump's visit to Ankara in July, have significantly bolstered the alliance. Furthermore, Erdoğan expressed readiness to expand collaboration in sectors such as energy, including nuclear power and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as civil aviation and high technology.

This initiative comes as Turkey seeks to modernize its strategic partnerships and boost its industrial output, with reports indicating that the country's annual defense exports have reached significant milestones. Moving forward, both nations aim to build upon this momentum to secure progress as they enter the second century of their diplomatic history.