Turkish President Erdogan Answers Questions on Energy, Defense, Gaza

Highlights from written responses by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Bloomberg, shortened and lightly edited for clarity and readability. The president referred to his country as Türkiye throughout, using the official name Turkey adopted in 2022.

With Mr. (Donald) Trump’s return to office, an opportunity has emerged to move Türkiye–US relations onto a more reasonable and constructive footing. Cooperation in the defense industry remains one of the central pillars of our relationship. Our unjust removal from the F-35 program was a step incompatible with the spirit of alliance. We have stated our position on this matter clearly, and I have conveyed our expectations to Mr Trump. Türkiye’s receipt of the F-35 aircraft for which it has already paid, and its reintegration into the program, are important and necessary not only for the security of the two strategic partners—Türkiye and the United States—but also for NATO’s security.