ANKARA: Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin were among world leaders congratulating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after he won Sunday’s historic runoff election to extend his two-decade rule.
US President Biden said he hoped to work with Erdogan on “shared global challenges”.
“I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges,” Biden tweeted, making no mention of recent tensions in the bilateral relationship.
Russia’s President Putin, who has collaborated closely with Erdogan on key international issues despite some disagreements, told Turkiye’s leader that his win was “the logical result of your dedicated work”.
“Your victory in these elections is the logical result of your dedicated work as head of the Turkish Republic, a clear evidence of the Turkish people’s support for your efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin website.
Congratulations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye on his re-election.
I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 28, 2023
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission of the European Union, which Erdogan aspires for Turkiye to join, said the bloc wanted to strengthen ties with the country.
“I congratulate (Erdogan) on winning the elections. I look forward to continue building the EU-Turkiye relationship,” she wrote on Twitter, using an alternate spelling for Turkiye.
“It is of strategic importance for both the EU and Turkiye to work on advancing this relationship, for the benefit of our people.”
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the NATO military alliance, of which Turkiye is a member, also sent congratulations.
“Congratulations President (Erdogan) on your re-election. I look forward to continuing our work together and preparing for the NATO Summit in July,” he tweeted.
Congratulations President @RTErdogan on your re-election. I look forward to continuing our work together & preparing for the #NATOSummit in July.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) May 28, 2023
UN chief Antonio Guterres congratulated Erdogan on his re-election, the secretary-general’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Sunday.
“He looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between Turkiye and the United Nations,” Dujarric added.
French leader Emmanuel Macron said the two nations had “immense challenges” to work on together.
Writing on Twitter, Macron said these included the “return of peace to Europe”.
“With President Erdogan, who I congratulate, we will continue to move forward,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the win for Erdogan, who since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has positioned himself as a mediator in the conflict.
“We count on the further strengthening of the strategic partnership for the good of our countries, as well as the strengthening of cooperation for the security and stability of Europe,” Zelensky said in a post on Twitter, where he congratulated Erdogan on his victory.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the countries as “close partners and allies” whose “people and economies are deeply intertwined”.
“Congratulations to President Erdogan — together we want to advance our common agenda with a fresh impetus,” Scholz wrote on Twitter.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “I am confident that our bilateral ties and cooperation on global issues will continue to grow in the coming times.”
Congratulations @RTErdogan on re-election as the President of Türkiye! I am confident that our bilateral ties and cooperation on global issues will continue to grow in the coming times.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2023
