Donald Trump used Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s White House visit Thursday to send a pointed message: stop buying Russian oil and gas. The meeting, Erdogan’s first in Washington in six years, underscored a thaw in relations between NATO’s two largest armies outside the U.S., but it also revealed Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy.
Seated in the Oval Office, Trump praised Erdogan as “a very tough man” who could help bring Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table. He stressed that Turkey’s neutrality gave it unique sway, but said the best thing Erdogan could do now was cut Russian energy imports. “I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine,” Trump told reporters.
Turkey has been one of Moscow’s most important outlets since Western sanctions hit Russia’s exports. In January 2025, Ankara accounted for roughly 25% of Russia’s oil product sales, well ahead of China and Brazil at 11% each, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Trump made clear he wants that flow shut off.
At the same time, the U.S. president dangled carrots. Trump signaled he was open to easing sanctions on Ankara and revisiting arms sales. He said the U.S. could consider letting Turkey back into the F-35 program, from which it was kicked out in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 defenses. Officials are also drafting language for possible deals on F-16s and Boeing aircraft.
The two leaders are aligned on Syria but remain split on Israel, with Erdogan denouncing Gaza strikes as genocide. Still, both Trump and Erdogan emphasized a warmer chapter ahead. “If we have a good meeting, almost immediately” sanctions could be eased, Trump said. For Erdogan, the message was clear: Washington wants Ankara’s help isolating Moscow—and the price could be new jets and trade.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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