Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took a conciliatory tone toward Greece on Wednesday, saying Turkey is not Greece'...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took a conciliatory tone toward Greece on Wednesday, saying Turkey is not Greece's enemy but its neighbor and NATO ally. He made the remarks at Turkish House in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Speaking through comments summarized by Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, Erdogan said bilateral relations between the two countries were too sensitive and too important to be used as campaign fodder in domestic politics. He added that Turkey has no interest in Greece's elections, internal politics, or changes in government. "What concerns us is Turkey's rights and security, as well as maintaining peace and tranquility in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean," Erdogan said, a phrase that signals Ankara still views its interests in those waters as non-negotiable even while extending an olive branch. On defense, Erdogan revealed he had spoken directly with President Donald Trump about Turkey's possible re-entry into the F-35 fighter jet program, saying Trump had shown a positive approach. Ankara is now waiting for that position to translate into concrete steps. Erdogan also pointed to Turkey's growing domestic defense capabilities, specifically the KAAN fighter aircraft and its air-defense systems, as evidence of Ankara's strategic self-reliance. He confirmed that talks with Britain over procuring Eurofighter jets are still ongoing. Greece and Turkey have long-standing disputes over Aegean airspace, maritime boundaries, and Cyprus, making Erdogan's softer public language notable, even if the underlying tensions remain unresolved. #Greece #Turkey #UNGA