In an event at the Akçaabat Public Library during his visit to Trabzon that he came together with the youth, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “From education to health, security to justice, transportation to energy, sports to social support, practically every effort and service you encounter bears our signature.”

Relations with Russia

In answer to a question about his assessment of foreign policy approach after bringing up the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Erdoğan highlighted that the goal in foreign policy is not to make more enemies but to cultivate friends.

Noting that they were always trying to make friends, Erdoğan said, “Relationships with Russia have not been as friendly as they are in this period in its history, and more importantly, we have attained a very high trade volume in this period.”

Erdoğan stated that relations with Russia on strategic products have reached a good point and that relations on natural gas are at an advanced level.

“We may build a second nuclear power plant again with Russia”

Noting that the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is being built in collaboration with Russia, President Erdoğan continued:

“Perhaps within this year, perhaps within the following year, in 2023, this nuclear power plant will be built, and production will begin. Meanwhile, we took a second step with them and held those meetings as well. We discussed this with Mr. Putin and asked if he would be interested in constructing a second power plant. ‘Let’s work on this,’ he said. We may build a second nuclear power plant again with Russia. Nuclear energy, as well as natural gas, is critical for linking us to one another. This, in my opinion, is the most crucial pillar of foreign policy.”

Pointing out that the S400s represent a significant step forward for Türkiye and Russia, Erdoğan said, “The S400 is a critical offensive defense system.”

Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye’s purchase of the S400 has alarmed the international community, particularly the United States.

“As we stated, ‘this is our decision’, we took this decision, and we reached an agreement with Russia. This also has no detrimental effect on NATO,” said President Erdoğan, emphasizing that NATO member states made their own decisions in purchasing their weapons.

“They have yet to deliver our F35s; they are still stalling”

Erdoğan also addressed the issue of F35 fighter jets, expressing that despite being paid for, the United States did not deliver the products to Türkiye. Recalling that they paid the United States 1 billion 450 million dollars for the F35s, Erdoğan said:

“They have yet to deliver the F35s they were supposed to deliver; they are still stalling. And now, we say, ‘Let's solve this problem' through the talks held by our Ministry of Defense. We say this because we do not want to run counter to the United States. Because there are several steps, we have taken with them in many areas. Our Ministry of Defense is working on this issue with its interlocutor. We will strive to solve this, either by modernizing the F16s or by receiving some new F16s."

Russia-Ukraine Crisis

Recalling that he would visit Ukraine this month and that Russian President Vladimir Putin would visit Türkiye, Erdoğan evaluated the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

Erdoğan said, "Our only will is to resolve this problem between Ukraine and Russia, and the war that is uttered when it comes to this matter, and so on... We never desire such a war between Russia and Ukraine. This development bodes ill for the region. As a NATO member state, we neither desire nor tolerate such an outcome. NATO Secretary-General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, has already set the ground for us with his words. I hope we can resolve this peacefully." (ILKHA)