US President Donald Trump has praised Türkiye’s role in efforts to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza, describing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as “fantastic” and emphasising Ankara’s influence in the region.
“Türkiye was fantastic too. President Erdogan was fantastic. He really helped a lot, because he’s very respected. He’s got a very powerful nation. He’s got a very, very powerful military. And he helped a lot,” Trump told reporters en route to the Middle East ahead of an international peace conference on the Gaza ceasefire.
The president also listed several countries that, he said, played a role in ceasefire negotiations, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Jordan.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One at the start of the “very special” visit, Trump also brushed off concerns about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
“The war is over. Okay? You understand that?” Trump said when asked if he was confident that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas was finished.
‘To bring peace’