After a few days’ delay, Erdogan congratulates Biden on his victory in the US presidency and hopes to strengthen bilateral relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has good relations with the outgoing US President Donald Trump, sent a message of congratulations to Joe Biden, the winner of the presidential elections in the United States, expressing his hope for strengthening bilateral relations between Ankara and Washington.

In this message published by the Turkish presidency, Erdogan said, “The ordeals we are facing at the international and regional levels make it necessary to develop and strengthen our relations based on common interests and values”.

“In this new phase, I reiterate my intention to work closely with the American administration in this context,” he added, describing relations between Turkey and the United States as “old” and “strategic”.

“I congratulate you on your victory in the elections and convey to you my sincere wishes for peace and prosperity to the American people,” Erdogan said.

Ankara did not deal comfortably with Democrat Biden’s victory in the US presidential elections, especially since President Donald Trump still doubts this victory.

Relations between Washington and Ankara, the two members of NATO, have deteriorated in recent years, especially during the second term of former President Barack Obama (2012-2016), of which Biden was his deputy.

Among the most prominent controversial files between the two countries is the conflict in Syria and the limitation of freedoms in Turkey and Washington’s refusal to hand over the preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan considers his staunch opponent.

In August, Ankara expressed its deep displeasure after publishing a video in which Biden described Erdogan as a “dictator”.

On the other hand, Erdogan was able to build a personal relationship with Trump despite the imposition of US sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.