President Donald Trump on Thursday said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could prove hugely influential in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine "if he wants to."
Trump, who in recent weeks has increasingly demanded that NATO allies cease all Russian oil purchases to block funding for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war chest, set his sights on Erdoğan while speaking to reporters from the Oval Office.
"I think he could have a big influence if he wants to," Trump said while sitting next to Erdoğan. "Right now, he's very neutral. He likes being neutral. So do I, like being neutral."
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"But he's somebody that if he got involved, the best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia," Trump added.
The president told reporters the two main issues he planned to discuss with the Turkish leader were "war" and "trade."
"I'd like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia. While Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine," Trump said. "Disgraceful."
"Putin ought to stop," he added.
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Erdoğan said he plans to discuss the sale of U.S. F-35s to Turkey, which during Trump’s first term, the U.S. barred Ankara from obtaining after it also purchased a Russian air defense system over concerns that Moscow could get its hands on the U.S. technology.
Trump on Thursday did not say if he would agree to lift the ban or use it to negotiate an end to Turkish imports of Russian oil. Ankara is Russia’s third-largest importer, behind India and China.
But while India has already had secondary tariffs slapped on it, and negotiations with China remain ongoing, Turkey has so far escaped Trump’s secondary tariff threats — though Trump said tariffs would also be on the day’s agenda.
Trump on Thursday said the U.S. and Turkey are "in great shape" when it comes to securing a possible deal on F-16 fighter jets, but did not indicate if that extended to F-35s as well.
"We're talking about that very seriously," Trump said. "He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we're going to come to a conclusion by the end of the day."
