Trump cites respect for Erdoğan as reason for upcoming NATO summit attendance

US President Donald Trump said he will attend the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara primarily out of respect for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and indicated that he would likely not participate if the meeting were being held elsewhere.

“Well, except for the fact that it was being held in Türkiye by President Erdoğan, I don't think I would have gone to it,” Trump stated during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on June 24.

“I would have not gone for most people,” he added, expressing disappointment that US allies in NATO did not provide Washington with more active support during the conflict with Iran.

“He called me up. He said, ‘Please, I have it in Türkiye. You’ve got to be there. The United States has to be there’,”  Trump said, referring to a conversation with Erdoğan.

“And so I'm going out of respect to President Erdoğan,” the US leader stressed.

Trump also said he appreciated Erdoğan for staying out of the conflict with Iran and, in particular, for not assisting Tehran in efforts to counter Israel during the confrontation.

By Jeyhun Aghazada