Trump Pressures Turkey to End Russian Oil Imports, Signals Trade and Defense Deals with Erdoğan
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At the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, urging Ankara to stop purchasing Russian oil as Moscow continues its war in Ukraine. Trump described Erdoğan as “a tough one” but praised him for doing “an amazing job” in Turkey, calling the relationship between the two countries strong in both “war and trade.”
Trump emphasized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused catastrophic human losses, citing millions of lives lost and saying “7,818 people were killed last week, mostly military.” He condemned the war as “a disgraceful waste of human life” and reiterated that President Vladimir Putin should stop immediately.
The U.S. leader said he is prepared to end American sanctions on Turkey—imposed in 2020 over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems—if today’s talks prove successful. He confirmed discussions will also include expanding trade and U.S. defense sales, such as F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.
Asked whether Washington would impose tougher sanctions on Russia if NATO members keep buying Russian oil, Trump noted that some allies were “disappointing” but praised them for raising defense spending from “2 percent to 5 percent of GDP.”
Trump also addressed the possibility of a joint U.S.-Turkish initiative to bring Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table. He stressed that Erdoğan is “respected by both of them” and could play a major role in mediation. However, Trump underlined that the single most powerful step Ankara could take would be to stop importing Russian oil and gas.
He said Putin, despite spending “millions and millions of dollars on bombs, missiles, ammunition, and lives,” has gained “almost no land” in recent weeks. Expressing disappointment, Trump remarked: “I thought this would be among the easier wars to settle, but it hasn’t been. I’m very disappointed in Putin.”
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