ANKARA — Turkey staged a lavish welcome for U.S. President Donald Trump at a NATO summit in Ankara, rolling out ceremonial guards, a mounted escort and a patriotic air display as leaders sought to repair and deepen ties between the two allies.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted Trump at the airport and walked beside him through a guard of honour before the pair embraced and shared light moments mediated by translators. Ankara also unveiled a new airport building bearing Trump’s name, a symbolic gesture underscoring Turkey’s push to elevate its profile inside the alliance.
Trump said he travelled to Ankara at Erdogan’s invitation and repeatedly praised the Turkish leader during the two-day gathering, signalling a thaw after a period of strained relations that included U.S. sanctions and disputes over Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 air-defence systems. Speaking at the summit, Trump indicated he was willing to consider lifting sanctions imposed during his prior term and floated the possibility of selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, though he later suggested no final decision had been made.
Those overtures face political hurdles in Washington, where lawmakers remain sceptical of any move that would reward Turkey while Ankara retains the S-400s. The potential shift also complicates Ankara’s ties with Moscow, given contractual obligations tied to the Russian defence sale.
The warmer tone between Erdogan and Trump contrasted with tensions Trump stirred elsewhere at the summit, including public barbs that unsettled other NATO partners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier warned against F-35 sales to Turkey, and Trump publicly defended Erdogan against such criticism during a leaders’ session.
Human rights and democratic backsliding in Turkey, highlighted by recent arrests of journalists, opposition figures and a comedian ahead of the summit, received scant public rebuke from Western leaders during the meetings. Domestically, Erdogan may gain political advantage from the improved rapport with Washington as he faces slumping poll numbers and an aggressive legal campaign against the main opposition.
The Ankara summit closed with officials portraying renewed unity, even as analysts warned that significant policy shifts, including lifting sanctions or F-35 sales, would encounter legal, congressional and diplomatic obstacles before becoming reality.