Turkish foreign minister says Erdogan-Trump ties could help ease NATO tensions

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s relationship with US President Donald Trump could help ease tensions within NATO as allied leaders prepare to meet in Ankara, according to an interview with The New York Times.

Türkiye will seek to use the “warm relationship” between Erdogan and Trump to help bridge differences inside the alliance during the NATO summit in the Turkish capital, the newspaper reported Monday.

“It is just a matter of trust for Mr. Trump, and friendship,” Fidan said, adding that Türkiye intended to “use this friendship for the benefit of the greater good, for the entire NATO family.”

The 32-member alliance will convene in Ankara on Tuesday for talks expected to focus on the future of trans-Atlantic security, defense spending and the alliance’s response to ongoing regional and global challenges.

Fidan said he expected technical discussions at the summit to proceed smoothly despite Trump’s criticism of NATO and pressure on allies over military spending.

“I don’t see any problem on that,” he said.

“There are a lot of words exchanged,” he added. “But in practical terms, nothing can change. The forces are there.”

Fidan said Türkiye and other European countries agree on the importance of the alliance.

“Nobody is discussing the necessity of NATO,” he said.

EU defense cooperation outside NATO a ‘structural problem’

He criticized proposals to deepen defense cooperation within the European Union outside NATO structures, calling them a “structural problem within NATO” and saying such moves run counter to European countries’ commitments to the alliance.

Türkiye and Europe must see each other as vital to their collective security, Fidan said.

“We are part of Europe as well, and unless we come together in European geography to form our security platform, we will never feel secure enough,” he said.

Fidan also addressed the memorandum of understanding reached last month between the US and Iran, saying both sides appeared serious about their ultimate goals.

“In terms of political will, both sides are very serious on ultimate objectives,” he said.

He noted, however, that the 60-day agreement left many contentious issues for future talks, including Iran’s nuclear program, the lifting of sanctions on Tehran and rules governing the Strait of Hormuz.

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said Türkiye is ready to facilitate new talks aimed at ending the conflict, but added that he did not expect such talks to take place immediately.

“Overall, the conclusion I reached is that I think they are ready to engage in discussions and talks, but we need American leverage,” he said. “The important thing for us is to see a real and sincere intention and effort from both sides for peace.”