Deutsche Welle
: “About 70,000 security personnel will protect the summit. This raises the question: Is Turkey, a NATO member, an authoritarian state hiding behind a modern facade?”
And yet, this state—which illegally occupies half of a European country, such as Cyprus—has filled its prisons with political prisoners, opponents of Erdogan, tramples on the rights of Kurds and others, and is preparing to receive significant gifts at the NATO summit, both from the European Union and from Donald Trump.
The U.S. President is personally traveling to the Turkish capital for the sake of his “good friend,” as he calls Erdogan, with the F-35s and the provision of engines for the Turkish Kaan fighter jets on the agenda.
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He begins the visit with a tribute at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
NTV
: “A hotel in Ankara has been booked exclusively for Donald Trump. The residents of Ankara already know this; they can see it. It’s a distinctive hotel, both in appearance and style. And the truth is, the other delegations actually didn’t want to stay at this hotel. Because wherever the American President is—this particular President—their activities are restricted.”
Reports from Turkey indicate that following the conclusion of the talks at Erdoğan’s Presidential Palace, the possibility of joint statements by the two presidents is being considered, and it is not out of the question that cooperation agreements might also be signed.
Analysts, however, are keeping their expectations low regarding Trump’s concessions, pointing to Congress’s strong reaction, both regarding opening discussions on the F-35 fighter jets—as long as Erdogan retains the Russian S-400s—and regarding the sale of engines.
Nevertheless, the Turkish media are highlighting the significance of the U.S. President’s visit to the country. The last visit was by Barack Obama in 2009, as neither Trump traveled there during his first term nor did Joe Biden.
See Giorgos Georgiadis’s report:
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