Meeting Trump on sidelines of Nato summit, Turkey’s Erdogan hails Iran-Israel truce
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Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan (left) and US President Donald Trump posing for a picture on the sidelines of a Nato summit in The Hague on June 24.
PHOTO: REUTERS
THE HAGUE - Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the Iran-Israel ceasefire and urged “close dialogue” to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as he held talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a Nato summit late on June 24.
The Turkish President “expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump’s efforts, hoping it would be permanent”, his office said.
In the early hours of June 24, Mr Trump announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a staggered ceasefire that would bring about an “official end” to their 11-day conflict.
The move came after the US joined Israel’s campaign on June 22, striking key nuclear sites, prompting a carefully coordinated Iranian retaliation against a US base in Qatar late on June 23 – which appeared to bring the confrontation to a close.
Mr Erdogan also stressed the need for Ankara and Washington to work closely to end the war in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Turkish President “emphasised the importance of close dialogue in ending the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza as soon as possible and in peacefully resolving the Russia-Ukraine war”, his office said.
He also called for increased defence industry cooperation with the US, which he said could significantly boost trade between them.
“Advancing cooperation in the defence industry would facilitate achieving the goal of a US$100 billion (S$129 billion) trade volume,” he said. AFP
