Turkish president says Türkiye friends with both US, Russia

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Türkiye has good relations with both the US and Russia.

Türkiye is "friends with America and Russia and those who are spiteful towards us in the West,” Erdogan said during a live broadcast with several Turkish television channels ahead of Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

Erdogan’s remarks came a day after Kemal Kilicdaroglu, joint candidate for the six-party opposition Nation Alliance, on Thursday accused Russia of being behind video content allegedly discrediting candidates for the presidency in the upcoming May 14 elections.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday rejected accusations, saying there can be no question of any interference of Russia in the Turkish elections, and "those who spread such rumors are liars."

Russia values ties with Türkiye because it takes "a very responsible, sovereign and thoughtful position," he added.

In Türkiye, the presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on May 14.

On the presidential ballot, voters will choose between Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu, and Sinan Ogan of the ATA Alliance. Muharrem Ince, another presidential contender, withdrew from the race on Thursday.

When asked about criticism that he would not leave the office following an opposition election win, Erdogan said that he would consider any result that comes out of the ballot box as “legitimate.”

Earlier on Friday, Erdogan blasted Kilicdaroglu over his remarks on Russia.

Kilicdaroglu "is attacking (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Russia,” Erdogan told a youth event in Istanbul.

Recalling a 2019 interview by US President Joe Biden who said the US could support opposition elements in Türkiye to change the tide of political developments, Erdogan said: “But you are helpless, loser."

“But when you attack Putin now, I'm sorry, I won't accept it,” he said.

“Because our relations with Russia are not behind our relations with the US at the moment,” he said, adding that Türkiye’s foreign trade volume with Russia is more than the US.