Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the trust-based relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump could help overcome disagreements within the alliance at the NATO summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8.
In an interview with The New York Times, Fidan said Turkey aims to use this friendship "to achieve a higher goal and in the interests of the entire NATO family."
Regarding Trump's criticism of NATO, the minister expressed confidence that the technical consultations within the framework of the Ankara summit would proceed smoothly. "I don't see any problem in this regard," Fidan said, stressing that despite many loud statements, "nothing has changed" in practice.
Fidan noted that there is a common understanding between Turkey and other European countries on the importance of NATO, and that "no one questions the necessity of NATO."
Fidan stated that strengthening defense cooperation within the European Union does not contradict the obligations of European states under NATO, and that Turkey and Europe should see each other as vital partners in ensuring collective security. "We are also part of Europe. If we do not unite in the European space and create our own security platform, we will never feel fully secure," he said.
Fidan also touched on the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran, stating that both sides are extremely serious about the ultimate goals, but that the document leaves a number of contentious issues for later, such as Iran's nuclear program, the lifting of sanctions on Tehran, and ensuring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Fidan confirmed that Ankara is ready to mediate again for a resolution of the crisis. However, the minister said he does not expect negotiations to resume anytime soon. Fidan noted that Moscow and Kyiv are ready for dialogue, but that US "influence" is needed for the peace process to advance, and stressed that what matters most for Turkey is that both sides have a "genuine and sincere" desire for peace.
