From Vladimir Putin to Joe Biden to Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron, several heads of state have congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his victory in Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday and his new five-year term at the helm of the country.
• Also read: Justin Trudeau wants to “solidify” relations with Türkiye.
• Also read: Türkiye: Erdogan was declared the winner by the electoral commission
The Russian president, who recently worked closely with his Turkish counterpart, believed that Erdogan’s victory was “the logical result of his dedicated work” at the top of the country and “obvious evidence” of popular support for politics.
Mr. Putin specifically referred to what he believed to be “efforts” made by Mr. Erdogan to “strengthen the state’s sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy.”
As a member of NATO, Turkey has influence in strategic areas important to Moscow, such as Syria, and has played a mediating role in the Ukraine conflict.
“I look forward to continuing to work together as an ally in NATO on bilateral issues and global challenges,” tweeted US President Joe Biden.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his “zeal to continue working with the government elected by the Turkish people”.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “expressed his desire to continue close cooperation” between Britain and Turkey.
“Congratulations to @RTErdogan,” Rishi Sunak tweeted, “I look forward to continuing close cooperation between our countries, whether it be expanding trade or addressing security threats as leaders.” ‘Allies within NATO’.”
Emmanuel Macron was one of the first European leaders to publicly congratulate Turkey’s strongman, believing that both countries had “tremendous challenges to face together”.
Among these “challenges” the French President tweeted the “return of peace in Europe, the future of our Euro-Atlantic alliance, the Mediterranean”. “With President Erdogan, whom I congratulate, we will continue to move forward,” he affirmed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed his congratulations and said he hoped for a “strengthening” of ties between Kiev and Ankara, in particular to ensure “security” in Europe.
“We hope to further strengthen the strategic partnership for the benefit of our two countries, as well as strengthen our cooperation for the security and stability of Europe,” he said on Twitter.
Turkey had played a crucial role in renewing the deal in which Moscow agreed to allow Kviv to export its grain for a limited period.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he hoped Erdogan’s re-election would give “new impetus” to relations between the two countries to “advance their common agenda”.
On Twitter, the head of state called the two countries “close partners and allies” and recalled that “their peoples and their economies are closely intertwined”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Erdogan and “looks forward to further strengthening cooperation between Turkey and the United Nations,” said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, referring to Turkey’s official name.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed the re-election: “Our common security is a priority for the future.” especially for members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel “delighted” on Twitter messages to “continue the development of EU-Turkey relations”.
Turkey is officially an EU candidate, but the accession negotiations that began in 2005 have been on hold for several years.
The EU has difficult relations with Ankara, which remains an important partner, particularly in the area of migration.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent his “sincere congratulations and best wishes for success” to Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a statement to the SPA news agency.
Relations between Riyadh and Ankara were frozen for more than three years after the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in late 2018. At the time, President Erdogan accused “the highest levels of the Saudi government of ordering the assassination.” The suspension of the murder trial by the Turkish judiciary last year paved the way for rapprochement between the two regional powers.