The United States has very good relations with Türkiye, US President Donald Trump said at a press conference in Ankara, Report informs.
Trump made the remarks while answering questions from a Haber Global correspondent.
Asked whether a common understanding had been reached after his meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Türkiye's return to the F-35 program and whether Türkiye-US relations were entering a new era, Trump recalled that relations between the two countries were also good during his first presidency.
"Yes, during my first presidency, we had very good relations with Mr. Erdoğan. The pastor had been sentenced to 35 years in prison. He is a very good person. I called Erdoğan, and he was released. I did not pay anything, unlike Obama or Biden. They paid Iran billions of dollars. I did not pay anyone for anyone. I simply said, 'release him,' and they released him. I have said this before - Erdoğan is a very good person," Trump said.
He said a number of unpleasant developments occurred when Biden was president.
"Our relations with a number of countries were bad. Türkiye was one of those countries. But relations changed. The situation changed after the November 5 election. We now have the best relations with Türkiye. The F-35s are the best fighter jets. Everyone wants them. We have to make a decision," Trump said.
The US president reiterated that Washington has very good relations with Türkiye.
"Türkiye is a very great country. It is also very strong militarily. It is NATO's second-strongest country. I have not made my final decision. But Mr. Erdoğan has helped us so much on many issues," he said.