Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the extension of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran during a phone call with US President Donald Trump, saying Ankara believes contested issues between the two sides can still be resolved through diplomacy.
According to a statement from the Turkish Presidency on Wednesday, Erdogan described the extension of the ceasefire as a positive development for the region and stressed that dialogue remained the only viable path to stability.
“Our president stated that he viewed the decision to extend the ceasefire in the conflict zone in our region as a positive development and believed a reasonable solution to the disputed issues was possible,” the statement said.
The two leaders also discussed Türkiye-US bilateral relations as well as broader regional and global developments.
Ankara’s role in NATO
Erdogan told Trump that preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara were continuing and that Türkiye was making maximum efforts to ensure the gathering’s success, underlining Ankara’s role within the alliance during a period of heightened regional tensions.
The Turkish president also talked about Syria, saying lasting stability there would represent a major gain for the entire region and reaffirming that Türkiye’s support for Syria’s stabilisation efforts would continue uninterrupted.
Beyond the Middle East, Erdogan briefed Trump on Türkiye’s diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in Sudan. According to the presidency, Erdogan said Ankara was working to help end the conflict in Sudan and would continue increasing humanitarian assistance to the country.
Erdogan also conveyed his condolences to Trump for a recent attack on a mosque in the state of California, and said Türkiye opposes hate crimes targeting any religious group.
Trump later told reporters in the US state of Maryland that the call was "very good," hailing his personal relationship with the Turkish president.
"Isn't it nice that I have relationships with some very tough people? He's a tough guy, and I have a relationship with him that nobody else does. He's actually done a good job," he said at Joint Base Andrews after returning to the Washington, DC, area from an event in Connecticut.
"He's been very much of an ally. Some people would doubt that, but I think he's been a great ally, and his people respect him. His people respect him a lot," he added.
The call comes amid intensified regional diplomacy involving Türkiye, which has positioned itself as a mediator in several conflicts, including efforts to reduce tensions involving Iran and ongoing crises in Syria, Gaza and Sudan.
