ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday emphasized the importance of strengthening US-Türkiye relations during his speech at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Erdogan expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties, particularly during President Donald Trump’s second term.

"I believe that our relations with the US will flourish in every field during President Trump's second term, also with the contribution of our close friendship with him," Erdogan said, underscoring the significance of the US as a strategic partner.

Addressing the growing challenges of global trade, Erdogan discussed efforts to navigate tensions arising from trade competition and customs tariffs.

"We are doing everything we can to prevent the heated trade competition through customs tariffs from becoming destructive. Türkiye will be one of the winners of this process," he said.

The Turkish leader also highlighted the ambitious trade goal between the two nations, saying: "We attach great importance to our goal of reaching a $100 billion trade target with our ally and strategic partner, the US."