Trump Presses Erdoğan on Russian Oil Imports, Signals Possible Sanctions Relief

Donald Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Washington on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, holding a ceremonial welcome followed by joint remarks, Orda.kz reports.

The talks focused heavily on the war in Ukraine and Türkiye’s role in global energy supplies. Trump urged Ankara to end its purchases of Russian oil and gas while the conflict continues, saying this would be the “best thing” Erdoğan could do.

When pressed by reporters on whether Erdoğan had agreed to halt imports, Trump avoided a direct answer but insisted that if he demanded it, the Turkish leader would comply, adding that Türkiye “could buy from many other suppliers.”

The U.S. president also floated the prospect of lifting sanctions on Türkiye’s defense industry and reopening the door for Ankara to rejoin the F-35 and F-16 fighter jet programs.

The restrictions were imposed during Trump’s first term after Türkiye acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems, but the White House now signals readiness to reconsider if negotiations progress.

Erdoğan described his trip to the U.S. as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties, pointing to cooperation in defense, energy, and trade.

However, he did not commit to reducing Russian oil imports during his remarks.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov