Erdoğan declares himself and Putin as last of long-standing leaders

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has claimed that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are the only remaining long-standing leaders in the world.

Speaking to young people in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, Erdoğan emphasized the longevity of both his and Putin's terms in office, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"I don't say this because it's me, but my tenure spans 22 years. Putin's is nearly as long. All the others have gone," Erdoğan stated.

The Turkish leader underscored the importance of maintaining dialogue with his Russian counterpart, highlighting the role of consistent communication in sustaining policies. He also expressed concern about the perceived lack of strong political leadership in some countries, such as Germany, after the departure of former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"For example, in Germany, politics came to an end with the departure of [Chancellor] Angela Merkel," Erdoğan claimed.

Erdoğan went on to express his respect for former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, praising his conduct during their meetings. He recalled an occasion when Schröder refrained from drinking beer during Ramadan out of respect.

"Our dialogue with Schröder continues even today. Occasionally, he even visits Türkiye," Erdoğan shared.

The Turkish president described Schröder as a prominent figure in German politics and voiced hope for the emergence of similarly influential personalities in Turkish politics in the future.

By Aghakazim Guliyev