ISTANBUL / ANADOLU

Turkey dominated headlines in Western media after the NATO summit hosted in Ankara, with wide focus on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump.

This was according to Anadolu's monitoring of media in Britain, the United States, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Israel.

** Reuters

In an analysis, the British news agency Reuters said the summit and the Trump-Erdogan meeting represented 'a new phase in relations between Washington and Ankara.'

It noted that Erdogan greeted Trump at the airport, and the two leaders walked arm-in-arm in front of cameras, a scene that reflected a 'close friendship.'

It added that Trump pledged to lift sanctions imposed on Turkey over the S-400 system and expressed readiness to sell F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.

** Wall Street Journal

The US newspaper Wall Street Journal highlighted Trump's intention to lift sanctions on Turkey and proceed with the sale of F-35 fighter jets.

The paper highlighted Trump's remarks during the press conference with Erdogan, where he said: 'Turkey has adhered to alliance rules more than other countries we thought would abide by them. We do not want to impose sanctions on our friends, and it is time to lift them.'

** Financial Times

The American newspaper Financial Times noted the signing of a comprehensive security pact between Britain and Turkey covering cyber threats, counterterrorism, and defense industries.

It added that London sees Ankara as the key partner capable of filling any vacuum from a declining US role in European security, and considers Turkey an influential force on the Trump administration and US policy.

** Bloomberg

The US-based Bloomberg reported that the growth of Turkey's defense industries has placed Ankara in a unique position to help fill European security gaps.

It added that Turkey's receipt of six F-35 fighter jets in the first phase, despite objections from some allies such as Israel and Greece, represents a significant geopolitical gain for President Erdogan.

** Le Monde (France)

The French newspaper Le Monde quoted Trump describing Erdogan as 'a strong man who knows how to run his country well,' and confirmed his commitment to the alliance's collective defense principle after criticizing Spain.

** Il Messaggero (Italy)

The Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reported that the Ankara summit contributed to the birth of a stronger European defense bloc under the slogan 'Less America, More Europe.'

The paper praised Erdogan's role in managing the summit, considering that he succeeded in turning a meeting that could have ended in failure into a gathering that brought leaders together around common issues.

** Greek and Spanish Media

The Greek newspaper Ta Nea reported that the US strategy and the positions of participating countries showed Turkey's growing stature as a regional power.

It indicated that Erdogan successfully leveraged Trump's presidency and sent a strong message to his opponents at home and abroad.

In Spain, newspapers focused on Trump's critical remarks about Spain and some European countries, considering that US-European tensions emerged during the summit despite preserving alliance unity.

El Pais wrote that Europeans are forced to accelerate their efforts toward greater independence from Washington in the face of what it called 'Trump's chaos.'

** Hebrew Media

The Jerusalem Post highlighted Trump's positive remarks toward Erdogan and the decision to lift sanctions, considering that it created a favorable atmosphere for resuming delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

In contrast, Haaretz said Turkey emerged from the summit with a number of gains and commitments, considering that the gap between the United States and its European allies is widening.

Israel Hayom, close to Benjamin Netanyahu's government, opined that the Ankara summit marked a turning point for Turkey and Erdogan, affirming that Ankara's status as a regional power is continuously strengthened, and that the summit provided an exceptional opportunity for Turkish defense industry companies to increase their sales.

Over Tuesday and Wednesday, Ankara hosted the 36th NATO summit, the second time Turkey has hosted the summit 22 years after the 2004 Istanbul summit, amid rapid security and geopolitical shifts in Europe and the Middle East.