Türkiye will send message to West in May elections: Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discusses local defence industry, rise of far-right in France, as well as Western meddling in Türkiye affairs in a wide-ranging TV interview and vows Turkish people will give necessary answer on May 14.
Erdogan says TCG Anadolu warship has brought Ankara to a very different place by world standards.
"Türkiye will give a message to the West" through the country's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, which not only the West but also the Islamic world closely follows, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
"The West has plans regarding Türkiye. You are currently viewing the situation of [French President Emmanuel] Macron. What is behind the scenes of Macron's trip to China? What is the situation in its [France's] relations with America? Why did Macron go to China?" Erdogan said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
Turning to a recent survey which suggested that far-right leader Marine Le Pen would beat Macron if last year's presidential elections were repeated, Erdogan said, "Le Pen is now ahead of Macron ... How did it happen? It means there is a change in the survey results."
Turkish people will give the necessary answer on May 14, he said.
"Türkiye will give a message to the West with this election…This country does not look at what the West says, neither when fighting terrorism nor in determining its economic policies," he added.
READ MORE: Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Presidential candidate of Türkiye's People’s Alliance
Expanding defence industry
Erdogan said the projects in the defence industry will continue.
Speaking about the TCG Anadolu, Türkiye's largest warship and the world's first unmanned combat aerial vehicle [UCAV] carrier, he said it has enabled Türkiye to come to "a very different place" in the world standard.
"We are taking another step. We are now having talks. We will build a bigger one than this," he added.
The warship was delivered to the country's navy on Monday.
Built at Istanbul-based Sedef shipyard, the ship can carry helicopters, drones, land vehicles, light aircraft and personnel.
Turkish Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs, Kizilelma drones, and Hurjet light attack aircraft can land on and take off from the ship.
With a length of 231 metres and a width of 32 metres, the full load displacement equals to some 27,000 tonnes.
READ MORE: Turkish FM highlights importance of May 14 elections
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