Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the NATO Summit in Ankara to send a pointed message to critics of his govern...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the NATO Summit in Ankara to send a pointed message to critics of his government's Ottoman revival, declaring that Turkey no longer apologizes for its imperial past. Speaking after the summit, Erdogan addressed those who were disturbed by the presence of Janissary units in the ceremonial guard and the performance of the Ottoman Mehter military band at official proceedings. He said Turkey has moved beyond the era of disowning its heritage and now proudly embraces its accumulated cultural and civilizational legacy, stretching across thousands of years. "Whether you accept it or not," Erdogan said, "there is no longer a Turkey that disowns its historical legacy. There is a Turkey that embraces its heritage." He framed the Turkish Republic as the latest link in a chain of states rooted in Ottoman and pre-Ottoman tradition, and said the NATO summit gave that tradition a stage to shine. The summit also produced significant diplomatic gains for Ankara. Trump's visit to Turkey was the first by a sitting US president in 17 years, and he signaled a willingness to lift CAATSA sanctions that had blocked Turkey from major weapons purchases after Ankara bought Russia's S-400 missile system. Trump told reporters in Ankara that the US does not want to sanction its friends, a statement Turkish media immediately framed as clearing a major obstacle for Turkey's defense industry. Erdogan said he and Trump agreed to push bilateral trade toward a $100 billion target and to continue cooperating on regional stability. Turkish state media reported Turkey and Egypt also signed a military cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the summit, with Egypt's defense minister visiting Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart. Separately, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that Ankara is continuing to push for a two-state solution in Cyprus, with UN mediators reportedly exploring a loose federation model with a two-year trial period. #Erdogan #NATO #Turkey